RLF 


WRITTEN  AND  ORAL 

COMPOSITION 


BY 

MARTIN    W.    SAMPSON 

FORMERLY    PROFESSOR    OF   ENGLISH,    INDIANA    UNIVERSITY 
AND 

ERNEST   O.    HOLLAND 

ASSOCIATE    PROFESSOR    OF    EDUCATION,    INDIANA    UNIVERSITY 

FORMERLY    HEAD    OF    ENGLISH    DEPARTMENT 

MALE    HIGH    SCHOOL,    LOUISVILLE 


NEW  YORK.:- CINCINNATI-:.  CHICAGO 

AMERICAN     BOOK    COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,  1907,  BY 

MARTIN   W.   SAMPSON   AND   ERNEST  O.    HOLLAND. 
W.  P.   I 


PREFACE 

THE  authors  add  a  volume  to  the  many  texts  on  English 
composition,  in  the  hope  of  meeting  fairly  the  first  great 
need  of  the  high  school  student  who  is  beginning  to  learn 
to  compose.  That  need  is  to  think  in  terms  of  good  com- 
position, —  to  regard  the  spoken  or  written  theme  as  a 
whole,  and  not  as  a  collection  of  separate  sentences.  The 
high  school  student  is  not  yet  mature,  but  still  less  is  he 
a  child,  and  he  learns  to  write  well  and  to  speak  well 
mainly  by  learning  to  think.  This  book  seeks  constantly 
to  appeal  to  his  intelligence ;  first,  by  giving  him  subjects 
within  his  grasp,  and  second,  by  having  faith  that  his 
grasp  means  brains  as  well  as  memory.  An  old  mistake 
was  to  give  the  student  tasks  beyond  his  power;  a  new 
mistake  is  to  hold  him  too  closely  to  the  commonplace. 
The  present  authors  try  a  middle  course,  but  they  have 
never  felt  themselves  obliged  to  reach  that  middle  course 
by  exactly  bisecting  the  difference  between  the  two  ex- 
tremes. Much  more  stress  than  usual  is  laid  upon  oral 
composition,  for  the  plain  reason  that  much  defective 
writing  is  due  to  defective  speaking. 

Principles  of  good  writing  are  brought  out  by  continual 
practice  and  not  by  formulated  rules  to  be  memorized. 
The  subjects  are  carefully  chosen  with  reference  to  the 
pupil's  interests.  The  teacher's  needs  have  also  been  keptt 
constantly  in  mind,  and  the  assignment  of  written  work 
is  made  in  accordance  with  the  amount  of  time  that  an 
English  teacher  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  devote  to 

3 

266968 


4  1J  KEF  ACE 

theme  correction.  A  practically  complete  series  of  alter- 
native lessons  gives  full  scope  to  the  teacher's  own  indi- 
viduality, and  at  the  same  time  provides  ample  material 
for  extending  the  book  over  the  entire  high  school  course. 

A  special  effort  has  been  made  to  bring  the  work  in 
exposition  and  argumentation  close  to  the  interests  and 
life  of  the  student.  In  the  past  most  text-book  writers 
have  assumed  that  any  subject  of  interest  and  value  to  the 
mature  mind  is  suitable  for  boys  and  girls  in  the  high 
school.  Consequently,  teachers  have  discovered  that 
while  a  student  will  write  good  stories  and  tolerable  de- 
scriptions, he  seems  not  to  be  interested  in  the  expository 
and  argumentative  work.  All  forms  of  discourse  should 
receive  the  best  efforts  of  the  student,  and  if  the  work  is 
properly  presented,  he  should  have  no  more  interest  in 
narrative  and  descriptive  topics  than  he  has  in  expository 
and  argumentative  subjects. 

In  no  sense  is  the  plan  of  the  book  an  experiment ;  for 
practically  all  the  lessons  contained  in  this  text  have  been 
carefully  tested  in  the  several  classes  of  the  Boys'  High 
School  of  Louisville,  under  the  direction  of  the  various 
teachers  of  the  English  department.  Parts  of  the  book 
have  been  used  in  other  schools,  and  the  lessons  have  been 
modified  to  meet  the  actual  needs  and  requirements  of  the 
high  school  boys  and  girls. 

M.   W.   S. 
E.  O.   H. 


CONTENTS 

PAfiKS 

NARRATION  (Lessons  1-30) .        .  7-64 

Paragraphing  .........  24 

Punctuation     .........  25 

Revision .         .  32,39 

Shakespeare,  Cassius  and  Csesar       .....  60 

Paraphrased  from  the  French,  The  Stupid  Peasant           .  61 

Original,  The  Talisman    .......  61 

Original,  The  Secret 63 

DESCRIPTION  (Lessons  31-52)        .....  65-95 

Browning,  The  Duke's  Country        .....  90 

James,  Chester           .         .         .         .         .         .                  .  91 

Stoddard,  Trail 91 

Wordsworth,  Sunshine  and  Shadow          ....  92 

Poe,  Room 92 

Tennyson,  Seaport    .........  92 

Carlyle,  Coleridge .  93 

Hardy,  Old  Man 93 

Hardy,  Young  Girl  .. 93 

Original,  The  New  Schoolmate        .....  94 

LETTER-WRITING  (Lessons  53-70) 96-131 

Nathaniel  Hawthorne  to  Henry  W.  Longfellow           .         .  128 

Lewis  Carroll  to  Mrs.  Har greaves     .         .         .         .         .  129 
Helen  Keller  to  the  Chairman  of  the  Academic  Board  of 

Radcliffe  College 129 

Horace  Walpole  to  the  Earl  of  Strafford  .         .         .         .  130 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson  to  Sidney  Colnn  ....  131 

EXPOSITION  (Lessons  80-104) 132-162 

Notion,  Hook  Review 159 

Huxley,  A  Liberal  Education 159 

Archer,  American  Hospitality          .....  159 

5 


6  CONTENTS 

PAGES 

Macaulay,  Goldsmith's  Character   .         .         .         .  160 

Original,  How  to  Study 160 

Original,  How  to  be  on  Time 161 

Original,  The  Explanation       .         .         .         .         .         .  161 

ARGUMENTATION  (Lessons  105-127) 163-188 

Burke,  Can  we  control  the  Colonies  by  Force?        .         .  181 

Webster,  Popular  Liberty 182 

Curtis,  The  Public  Duty  of  Educated  Men      .         .         .  183 

Lincoln,  Preservation  of  the  Union          ....  184 

Lincoln,  Plan  of  Campaign 184 

Original,  Are  Literary  Societies  Beneficial  ?    .         .         .  185 

Macaulay,  Character  of  Pope 187 

NOTES 189-248 

How  to  Stand  and  to  Speak 190 

Principal  Parts  of  Verbs 192 

Words  frequently  Mispronounced  .....  195 

Rules  for  Punctuation 198 

Forms  used  in  Letter-writing 223 

SENTENCES  FOR  CORRECTION 249-253 

SPECIMENS  OF  DISCOURSE 254-280 

WORDS  FREQUENTLY  MISSPELLED 281-287 

INDEX     ...  289-293 


NARRATION 

LESSON   1 

Make  up  a  short  story  about  these  four  details,  using 
them  all,  and  arranging  them  in  any  order  you 
please :  — 

A  basket.  A  monkey. 

A  dog.  A  boy. 

Try  to  think  of  as  many  stories  as  you  can  before 
you  choose  any  one  to  write  about.  Stories  will  sug- 
gest themselves  to  you  if  you  will  rearrange  the 
order.  For  instance,  note  how  these  arrangements 
imply  different  stories  :  — 

A  dog.  A  boy. 

A  basket.  A  dog. 

A  monkey.  A  monkey. 

A  boy.  A  basket. 

Ask  yourself  questions  like  these:  — 

Shall  the  boy  be  an  Italian,  or  one  of  my  younger 
brothers,  or  some  friend  ? 

Is  the  basket  covered  or  uncovered,  big  or  little  ? 
Does  it  make  any  difference  ? 

Is  the  dog  large  enough  to  carry  the  basket,  or 
small  enough  to  go  inside  ? 

Is  the  monkey  more  intelligent  than  the  dog  ? 

7 


8  NARRATION 

Where  does  the  incident  take  place  ?  At  what 
season  of  the  year?  Do  these  things  matter'? 

What  is  the  time  of  day  ?     Suppose  it  is  night  ? 

How  old  is  the  boy  ?  What  is  the  color  of  his 
hair  ?  Are  these  essential  points  ? 

As  you  think  of  these  things,  you  will  imagine  a 
number  of  quite  distinct  stories.  Choose  the  one  that 
interests  you  the  most.  Try  to  use  each  one  of  the 
four  points  as  an  important  part  of  the  story.  That 
is,  if  the  monkey  might  as  well  have  been  a  rabbit, 
then  the  monkey  is  not  an  important  part  of  the 
story.  What  is  the  beginning  of  your  story  ?  What 
is  the  conclusion  ?  Now  write  directly  and  simply 
about  the  main  facts  in  the  order  in  which  you  want 
them  to  appear. 

After  you  have  written  the  story,  you  will  doubt- 
less be  able  to  improve  it  somewhat  if  you  try.  Take 
the  first  sentence, — are  you  satisfied  with  the  choice 
of  words  ?  Take  the  closing  sentence,  —  is  it  too 
long  ?  Too  short  ?  Does  any  sentence  seem  to  you 
of  about  the  right  length  for  its  material  ? 

What  title  are  you  going  to  give  your  story?  A 
descriptive  heading — for  instance,  An  Amusing  Inci- 
dent, An  Unequal  Struggle,  Almost  a  Disaster  —  may 
add  to  the  interest  of  your  paper.  Make  up  your 
title  to  suit  the  story,  but  do  not  spend  too  much 
time  in  thinking  of  this  point.  At  present,  the  story, 
and  not  the  name  of  the  story,  is  the  main  thing. 


NARRATION  9 

LESSON   2 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  tell  in  your  own 
words  some  story  that  you  have  recently  read  or 
heard.  Something  read  in  school  last  year  will 
do,  but  something  from  a  recent  magazine  is  prefer- 
able. Your  account  must  not  take  more  than  four 
minutes. 

The  way  to  prepare  yourself  is  to  repeat  the  story 
aloud,  timing  yourself  so  as  to  be  sure  that  you  will 
come  within  the  four  minutes.  First  of  all,  find  out 
what  are  the  main  points  in  the  story  you  are  going 
to  tell.  Probably  you  will  have  to  omit  very  many 
things  that  were  in  the  original  story.  You  may 
omit  all  unimportant  things;  perhaps  you  will  not 
have  time  to  tell  even  all  the  fairly  important  ones. 
You  must  choose  the  most  important. 

You  will  find  it  easier  to  make  an  outline  before 
you  begin  to  practice  telling  the  story  aloud.  Your 
outline  should  contain  in  the  proper  order  the  things 
that  you  feel  you  must  not  omit.  Now  tell  the  story 
at  an  average  rate  of  talking. 

You  may  bring  the  outline  to  the  class  and  refer 
to  it  if  you  are  at  a  loss,  but  try  to  do  without  it. 
Do  not  speak  rapidly  in  order  to  pack  a  long  story 
into  the  short  time  allowed;  cut  out  details  rather 
than  speak  of  them  hurriedly.  Avoid  saying,  "And- 
uh— ,"  <h-Well-uh— ,"  "W'y-uh  — ."  Do  not  try  to 
draw  out  the  story  to  the  time  limit  if  you  can  easily 


10  NARRATION 

finish  it  in  a  shorter  time:  a  two-minute  story  will  be 
acceptable.  Repeat  the  story  aloud  five  or  six  times. 
You  need  not  keep  the  same  words,  but  keep  the 
same  ideas.  Much  will  depend  upon  the  way  you 
handle  the  story.  You  cannot  succeed  unless  you  tell 
it  in  a  simple,  interesting,  straightforward  way  so 
that  all  your  classmates  can  understand  and  follow 
you. 

What  you  have  just  recited  is  as  much  a  com- 
position as  if  you  had  used  your  pencil,  for  whenever 
you  talk, — at  home,  in  the  recitation  room,  or  on  the 
playground,  even  though  you  speak  but  a  single  sen- 
tence at  a  time,  —  you  make  a  composition.  And 
since  you  make  three  or  four  hundred  oral  composi- 
tions for  every  one  you  write,  you  can  understand 
that  if  you  learn  to  talk  effectively,  keeping  your 
mind  to  the  point,  you  will  certainly  improve  in 
your  ability  to  write  clearly  and  interestingly. 

It  is  of  the  highest  importance  in  speaking  and 
writing  that  people  should  know  what  you  mean. 
Otherwise  your  speech  is  wasted.  Now,  how  can  you 
be  clear  ?  It  depends  partly  on  you,  partly  on  your 
audience.  Of  course  you  can  be  understood  by  in- 
telligent people  more  easily  than  by  children  or  by 
stupid  people.  On  the  other  hand,  even  intelligent 
people  can  only  guess  your  meaning  if  you  are  not 
clear  and  simple  in  your  talk.  In  the  main,  to  state 
things  simply,  to  try  to  be  clear,  to  hold  to  the  point, 
is  your  best  way  to  be  understood. 


NARRATION  11 

1.  Can  you  give  any  examples  of  listeners  who 
would  be  likely  to  understand  obscure  talk  ? 

2.  Give  three  examples  of  speakers  who  would  be 
likely  to  talk  clearly. 

3.  What  sort   of   person  is  likely  to  be  hard  to 
understand  ? 

4.  What  kind  of  listener  is  not  likely  to  under- 
stand things  readily  ? 

LESSON   3 

Write  a  short  story  about  all  four  of  the  following 
details :  — 

A  timid  girl.  A  tramp. 

A  camera.  A  policeman. 

Remember  that  every  one  of  these  four  details 
should  have  an  important  place  in  your  story.  It 
will  be  advisable  for  you  to  spend  several  minutes  in 
getting  the  details  arranged,  so  that  you  cannot  stray 
from  the  plan  you  adopt.  When  you  have  clearly  in 
mind  the  beginning,  the  middle,  and  the  end  of  your 
story,  —  in  fact,  after  you  see  the  story  unfold  itself 
before  your  eyes,  so  that  if  necessary  you  could  get 
up  and  tell  it,  —  then  you  may  begin  to  write.  Do 
not  spend  too  much  time  now,  but  tell  your  story  in 
a  simple,  straightforward  way.  If  you  care  to  do  so, 
you  may  think  of  yourself  as  taking  part  in  the  story 
as  actor  or  spectator.  In  that  case  you  may  use  the 
pronoun  /.  Be  very  sure  to  tell  the  story  in  such  a 


12  NARRATION 

way  that  when  your  classmates  hear  it  read,  it  will 
sound  natural  to  them. 

Now  look  over  your  longest  sentence  and  see 
whether  it  is  clear,  —  your  shortest  sentence  and  see 
whether  it  is  abrupt.  Examine  the  most  exciting 
incident  in  the  story.  Have  you  used  all  the  details 
necessary  to  make  the  point  clear  ?  Have  you  made 
your  most  important  character  vivid,  —  that  is,  do  you 
think  the  reader  is  likely  to  make  a  picture  of  him  ? 
Is  there  an  incident  you  could  leave  out  entirely  ? 
Give  reasons  for  your  answer. 

The  chances  are  that  your  theme  as  it  stands 
should  be  copied  before  being  handed  in  to  the 
teacher.  Do  not  feel  discouraged  if  your  first  draft 
requires  much  correction  :  very  few  writers  can  make 
a  good  first  draft.  It  is  not  the  first  writing,  but  the 
last  writing,  that  counts. 

LESSON   4 

Many  persons,  both  in  conversation  and  in  writing, 
confuse  the  nominative  and  the  objective  cases  of 
the  pronouns.  Frequently,  too,  they  use  sentences  in 
which  the  pronoun  and  its  antecedent  do  not  agree. 
They  are  also  unable  to  tell  when  to  use  the  past 
tense,  and  when  the  past  participle,  of  some  of  the 
commonest  verbs. 

With  care  and  practice  these  mistakes  can  be  over- 
come. An  easy  way  to  tell  the  correct  form  in  such 


NARRATION  13 

cases  as  Sentence  1  below,  is  to  read  through  the 
sentence  twice,  using  only  the  pronoun.  Thus  :  The 
men  spoke  to  I ;  The  men  spoke  to  me.  The  form 
that  is  correct  by  itself  is  the  form  that  is  correct  in 
combination. 

Study   the    following   sentences    carefully,  and   in 
each  instance  determine  which  form  is  correct:  — 

1.  The  men  spoke  to  (John  and  I,  John  and  me). 

2.  A  person  should  follow  (their  own  convictions,  his  own 
convictions). 

3.  What  is  the  trouble  between  (you  and  him,  you  and  he)  ? 
1.    Every  one  is  likely  to  follow  (his  own,  their  own)  incli- 
nations. 

T>.    I  don't  like  (those  kind  of  books,  that  kind  of  books). 

6.  (Us  boys,  we  boys)  will  go  together. 

7.  Each  of  us  (has  to  do,  have  to  do)  (his  own  work,  their 
own  work). 

8.  He  won't  come  (unless  you  come,  without  you  come). 

9.  The  man  (who  I  met,  whom  I  met)  is  a  fine  fellow. 

10.  (Whom  did  you,  who  did  you)  speak  to  ? 

11.  I  feel  (like  you  do,  as  you  do). 

12.  (Who,  whom)  do  you  think  she  is  ? 

13.  (Between  every  house,  between  every  two  houses)  there 
is  a  narrow  path. 

14.  This  is  a  secret  (between  you  and  I,  between  you  and 
me). 

15.  What  (sort  of  a  book,  sort  of  book)  is  that  ? 

16.  He  pushed  the  book  (off  of  the  table,  off  the  table). 

17.  He  intends  (to  quickly  come,  to  come  quickly,  quickly 
to  come). 

18.  Try  to  do  (like  I  do,  as  I  do). 

19.  The  book  is  (laying  on  the  table,  lying  on  the  table). 

20.  The  man  (laid  the  book,  lay  the  book)  upon  the  table. 


14  NARRATION 

21.  The  dog  (is  lying  down,  is  laying  down). 

22.  The  dog  (has  laid  down,  has  lain  down). 

23.  Yesterday  the  dog  (lay  on  the  sofa,  laid  on  the  sofa). 

24.  The  motion  (was  lain,  was  laid)  on  the  table. 

25.  (Between  he  and  I,  between  him  and  me)  there  will 
be  no  dispute. 

26.  The  man  (has  gone  home,  has  went  home). 

27.  The   carpenter  went  to  the  place  and  (did  the  work, 
done  the  work). 

28.  He  was  put  out  when  (he  run,  ran,  was  running)  from 
first  to  second. 

29.  Will  you  (let  Mary  and  I,  let  Mary  and  me)  do  this  ? 

30.  He  came  home  (and  done  the  work,  and  did  the  work). 

31.  There  is  the  ball  you  gave  (to  Arthur  and  I,  to  Arthur 
and  me). 

32.  (May  John  and  I,  may  John  and  me)  see  the  pictures  ? 

33.  You  can  take  care  of  that  (as  well  as  I,  as  well  as  me). 

34.  I  heard  that  he  (came,  come)  home  Tuesday. 

35.  He  (climbed,  dumb)  the  fence  and  (run,  ran)  home. 

36.  It  was  (me,  I)  that  he  spoke  to. 

37.  Is  it  (me,  I)  that  you  want  to  see  ? 

38.  I  shall  (sit,  set)  here  till  he  comes. 

39.  (Set,  sit)  the  pitcher  on  the  table. 

40.  He  (set,  sat)  down. 

41.  I  (seen,  saw)  you  yesterday. 

If  you  have  the  habit  of  using  an  incorrect  expres- 
sion which  sounds  much  like  the  correct  form,  you 
may  more  easily  break  yourself  of  the  error  by 
changing  the  whole  construction.  Thus,  if  you  are 
used  to  saying,  It  seems  like  this  must  be  true,  sup- 
pose you  accustom  yourself  to  saying,  /  think  tit  at 
this  must  be  true,  instead  of  trying  to  say,  It  seems  as 
if  this  must  be  true.  Similarly,  for  This  is  no  ways 


NARRATION  15 

right,  use  This  is  not  at  all  right,  instead  of  This  is  no 
wise  right. 

Which  is  the  correct  form  in  the  following  sen- 
tences ? 

42.  (It  seems  like,  it  seems  as  if)  he  is  a  hypocrite. 

43.  (It  seems  to  me  like,  it  seems  to  me  that)  he  is  a  hypocrite. 

44.  (She  is  a  girl  as,  she  is  a  girl  who)  can  always  be  trusted. 

LESSON   5 

Write  a  short  story  about  a  personal  experience,  — 
something  that  has  really  happened  to  you.  Remem- 
ber that  every  one  has  had  many  experiences  that 
are  worth  telling;  you  are  no  exception.  But  you 
must  remember  also  that  it  takes  some  judgment 
to  decide  which  story  will  be  the  most  interesting  to 
your  classmates.  An  incident  extremely  interesting 
to  you  may  not  interest  them  at  all.  Have  you  not 
had  the  experience  of  telling  a  funny  incident,  which 
did  not  seem  funny  to  your  hearers  ?  On  the 
other  hand,  it  is  possible  to  tell  entertainingly  some 
incident  that  was  only  moderately  interesting  when 
it  happened.  The  story  depends  as  much  on  your 
telling  as  on  the  incident.  Since  this  is  true,  }^ou 
will  have  to  determine  which  of  your  experiences  can 
be  made  to  interest  your  classmates. 

Before  you  choose  a  subject,  read  these  questions 
over  slowly  and  carefully  :  — 

Have  you  not  seen  on  the   street  some  incident 


16  NARRATION 

quite  within  your  power  to  tell  about,  —  two  men 
quarreling,  some  one  stopping  a  runaway,  a  dog  or  a 
chicken  getting  in  the  way  of  a  bicycle  ? 

Think  of  the  frights  you  have  received :  could  not 
one  of  them  be  made  the  subject  of  an  essay  ? 

What  happened  the  first  time  you  tried  to  ride 
a  horse  ? 

How  did  you  learn  to  swim,  or  to  skate  ? 

Did  you  ever  successfully  play  a  joke  on  some  one  ? 
Did  you  come  off  scot-free  yourself? 

Cannot  you  remember  how  delighted  you  were 
when  somebody  made  you  an  unexpected  visit,  or 
when  Christmas  brought  you  something  you  had 
wanted  for  a  long  time  ? 

Can  you  remember  your  first  party?  What  hap- 
pened ? 

Did  you  ever  manage  the  house  when  your  mother 
was  away  ? 

Have  you  ever  done  the  marketing  ? 

Did  you  ever,  after  a  circus  had  been  in  town,  set 
up  a  trapeze  ?  What  were  the  results  ? 

You  may  find  it  best  to  try  three  or  four  stories 
with  such  topics  as  these.  Outline  the  three  or  four 
as  you  have  done  in  your  other  work,  and  see  how 
they  sound  when  you  tell  them  as  you  did  in  the 
preceding  lesson.  Choose  the  one  that  most  inter- 
ested you  in  the  telling,  hold  to  it,  write  it  out  as 
well  as  you  can,  and  give  it  an  appropriate  title. 


NARRATION  17 

LESSON   6 

1.  The  Best  Play  of  the  Game. 

2.  How  We  Reached  Home. 

3.  My  First  Experience  in  Cooking. 

4.  Whipped  by  a  Turkey  Gobbler. 

Take  any  one  of  these  subjects  and  think  out  a 
story  that  you  can  tell  before  the  class  in  not  more  than 
four  minutes  when  you  speak  slowly  and  distinctly. 
If  you  care  to  do  so,  you  may  write  it  out  at  home, 
though  this  is  not  at  all  necessary,  since  in  no  case 
should  you  try  to  memorize  what  you  write.  This 
much,  however,  you  can  do :  think  a  good  deal  about 
the  one  subject  that  especially  appeals  to  you ;  make 
an  outline  of  the  main  points  of  your  story,  and  then 
practice  telling  the  story  aloud  and  slowly,  regardless 
of  whether  you  use  the  same  words  each  time.  If  the 
story  happens  to  be  true,  very  well ;  but  it  will  be  just 
as  acceptable  if  you  make  it  up.  You  may  tell  the 
story  in  the  third  person  or  in  the  first. 

When  you  have  told  the  story  aloud  for  the  first 
time,  ask  yourself  if  your  beginning  was  not  too  long. 
Most  people  who  tell  stories  take  time  to  explain 
things  that  are  clear  without  explanation,  or  to  re- 
count happenings  and  circumstances  unrelated  to  the 
point  of  the  story.  Therefore  their  stories  are  slow  in 
the  beginning,  because  of  tedious  details.  In  telling 
the  story  the  second  time,  see  whether  you  can  begin 
at  an  interesting  point,  omitting  unnecessary  things. 

S.  &  H.  RHET.  — 2 


18  NARRATION 

Now  you  have  tried  in  the  second  telling  to  get 
rid  of  the  long  beginning.  Have  you  told  your  story 
in  a  simple,  straightforward  way  ?  As  you  tell  it 
the  third  time,  try  from  the  start  to  keep  in  mind 
the  end  or  point  of  the  story.  This  will  make  you 
tell  it  in  fewer  words. 

Step  by  step  you  are  trying  to  get  rid  of  some  of 
the  faults  of  story-telling:  you  have  tried  to  think 
of  the  main  facts,  to  leave  out  unnecessary  details, 
and  to  come  to  the  point.  The  story  as  you  tell  it 
the  fourth  time  will  probably  be  a  great  improvement 
over  the  one  told  first. 

As  your  classmates  tell  their  stories  in  the  recita- 
tion room,  see  if  they  have  not  also  found  it  hard  to 
overcome  these  difficulties. 

LESSON   7 

Hitherto  you  have  given  your  attention  to  think- 
ing of  your  subject  and  arranging  the  material  in  the 
best  order.  When  you  have  finished  the  story,  you 
have  doubtless  felt  you  could  improve  it  in  small  de- 
tails if  you  had  more  time.  Let  us  now  take  the 
time  to  consider  how  you  may  improve  a  theme  after 
you  have  written  it  and  laid  it  aside  for  a  while.  We 
shall  assume  that  you  did  your  best  at  the  first  writ- 
ing. Now  you  are  to  see  what  improvement  will 
come  from  second  thoughts.  The  teacher  will  have 
returned  to  you,  with  general  corrections  only,  the 


NARRATION  19 

paper  prepared  for  Lesson  5.  Preparatory  to  re- 
writing, make  all  the  corrections  that  the  theme 
seems  to  need. 

Look  at  your  grammatical  constructions.  Do  your 
subjects  and  verbs  agree  ?  Are  your  pronouns  cor- 
rectly used  ?  Have  you  any  misspelled  words  ? 
Then  observe  the  punctuation  ;  can  you  improve  it  ? 
These  details  are  called  mechanical,  because  they 
relate  to  the  mechanism,  rather  than  to  the  spirit,  of 
expression.  It  is  discreditable  to  make  mistakes  in 
spelling,  grammar,  and  the  like;  and  it  is  assumed 
that  one  will  write  correctly,  because  correctness 
in  these  matters  is  almost  wholly  a  matter  of  memory 
and  practice. 

One  thing  that  will  require  your  careful  attention 
is  punctuation.  A  difficulty  in  learning  to  punctu- 
ate is  that  good  usage  varies  somewhat.  You  will 
learn  a  great  deal  about  punctuation,  if  you  go 
through  a  page  of  a  modern  story  published  by  a 
standard  house,  asking  yourself  the  significance  of 
each  mark  used.  From  time  to  time  in  your  reading, 
repeat  this  exercise  until  the  different  marks  suggest 
different  meanings  to  you.  Bemember  that  the  pur- 
pose of  punctuation  is  to  make  the  meaning  clear  to 
the  eye. 

Now  correct  the  misspelled  words.  When  you  are 
in  doubt,  look  up  the  word  in  the  dictionary,  or  ask 
some  one  who  really  knows.  The  way  to  learn  to 
spell  words  about  which  you  are  habitually  in  doubt 


20  NARRATION 

is  not  to  spell  them  aloud,  but  to  write  them  over 
and  over  again.  In  the  Notes,  pp.  281-287,  you 
will  find  a  list  of  words  frequently  misspelled. 

At  this  point  in  your  study  you  will  find  it  well  to 
be  tbinking  of  various  ways  of  expressing  frequently 
recurring  ideas.  Often,  for  example,  you  will  use  the 
word  said,  but  many  times  your  writing  will  be 
improved  if  you  use  a  synonym.  Consider  the  choice 
that  you  have  among  such  words  as  remarked, 
answered,  declared,  inquired,  fv.s/v/,  demanded,  be- 
gan, exclaimed,  whispered,  muttered,  continued,  added, 
replied. 

As  you  read  the  story  over,  do  you  think  that 
you  have  said,  in  every  sentence,  what  you  meant  ? 
Are  any  of  your  sentences  capable  of  two  meanings  ? 
It  isn't  a  question  now  of  whether  you  have  brought 
out  the  point  of  the  story ;  the  question  is  whether 
each  sentence  expresses  just  what  you  wrish. 

It  is  not  possible  to  avoid  all  mistakes,  but  it  is 
always  possible,  if  you  have  the  time,  to  write  legibly 
and  neatly.  You  do  not  write  for  yourself  solely,  but 
for  others  to  read.  It  is  as  much  a  matter  of  cour- 
tesy to  write  legibly  as  to  speak  distinctly.  Pre- 
viously, you  may  have  felt  that  you  had  not  the 
time  to  do  this ;  this  lesson  will  allow  you  the 
time.  If  you  are  one  of  those  who  write  neatly  to 
begin  with,  you  have  saved  just  so  much  time  and 
effort. 

Now  rewrite  the  theme. 


NARRATION  21 

LESSON    8 

Determine  the  correct  form  in  the  following  sen- 
tences, explaining  your  choice  :  — 

1.  Neither  the  doctor  (or,  nor)  his  assistant  (was,  were) 
present. 

2.  Neither  individual  was  present  (or,  nor)  sent  his  regrets. 

3.  Either  George  or  John  (is,  are)  going. 

4.  He  intended  (to  have  gone,  to  go). 

5.  He  (hadn't  ought  to  do  it,  ought  not  do  it). 

6.  Any  member  of  the  club  may  cast  (his,  their)  vote. 

7.  Every  one  was  called  upon  to  recite  (except  you  and  I, 
except  you  and  me). 

8.  In  baseball  they  are  stronger  than  (we,  us). 

9.  I  should  stop  talking,  if  I  were  (he,  him). 

10.  Students  (like  you  and  I,  like  you  and  me)  have  to 
work  pretty  hard. 

The  word  only  often  occurs  in  the  wrong  position. 
Place  only  before  the  word  or  phrase  it  modifies, 
unless  by  so  doing  you  create  an  ambiguity.  In  any 
event,  only  should  stand  next  to  the  modified  word 
or  phrase.  Notice  how  the  meaning  varies  with  the 
position  of  the  word  in  the  following  sentences :  — 

a.  He  asked  only  to  be  allowed  to  go. 

b.  He  only  asked  to  be  allowed  to  go. 

c.  Only  he  asked  to  be  allowed  to  go. 

d.  He  asked  to  be  allowed  only  to  go. 

Tn  the  following  sentences  change  the  position  of 
on///  when  its  bearing  is  not  clear:  — 


22  NARRATION 

11.  He  only  went  to  the  circus. 

12.  Only  a  judge  could  decide  that  point. 

13.  The  judge's  decision  only  covers  that  point. 

14.  The  man  was  only  elected  by  a  majority  of  five  votes. 

15.  This  entrance  only  for  pedestrians. 

16.  She  only  said,  "  My  life  is  dreary." 

17.  A  tariff  for  revenue  only. 

18.  The  strongest  student  only  threw  the  hammer  ninety 
feet. 

19.  I  shall  only  take  your  time  for  a  few  minutes. 

Care  must  be  taken  in  the  use  of  alone ;  it  is  not 
to  be  regarded  as  a  synonym  of  only.  Thus  in  the 
sentence, 

Not  only  did  he  come  in,  but  he  made  himself  at  home. 
if  we  change  only  to  alone,  we  change  the  meaning 
of  the  first  clause. 

Not  alone  did  he  come  in 

means  literally  not  by  himself,  not  unaccompanied. 
Use  alone  only  when  you  desire  to  express  the  idea  of 
isolation  of  the  person  or  object  referred  to. 

Alone  he  defied  the  mob  ! 
is  decidedly  stronger  than 

Only  he  defied  the  mob  I 
On  the  other  hand, 

He  rmade  only  the  smallest  possible  contribution. 
is  correct,  while 

He  made  alone  the  smallest  possible  contribution. 
is  incorrect. 


NARRATION  23 

LESSON   9 
Write  a  story  bringing  in  these  four  details :  — 

A  high  school  freshman.  A  barking  dog. 

A  burning  building.  A  porch. 

A  little  consideration  will  show  you  that  several 
stories  may  be  made  from  these  details.  Construct 
your  outlines  as  before,  choosing  the  one  that  you 
think  you  can  handle  best.  Eead  over  the  advice 
given  on  pp.  7,  8.  Before  you  begin  to  write,  say 
aloud  what  the  point  of  the  story  will  be.  Repeat  to 
yourself  the  several  steps  that  lead  up  to  the  point. 
Is  every  incident  from  beginning  to  end  now  clear  to 
you?  If  so,  begin  to  write,  and  if  you  can,  write 
rapidly  tintil  you  have  finished.  Never  mind  if  you 
do  not  get  the  best  word  every  time,  provided  you 
give  a  clear  account  of  the  most  important  incidents. 

We  have  just  used  the  word  incident.  By  incident 
is  meant  something  that  happens. 

Are  you  satisfied  now  with  the  order  in  which  the 
incidents  are  told  ?  Is  each  incident  clear  in  itself  ? 
Do  the  incidents  follow  each  other  as  if  they  really 
happened  ?  Have  you  used  the  four  details  as  parts 
of  the  actual  story  ?  That  is,  does  each  of  them  help 
toward  the  conclusion  ?  If  not,  you  have  not  handled 
that  detail  effectively. 

Many  students  meet  at  the  outset  this  difficulty : 
they  write  a  sentence  or  two,  and  then  are  unable  to 


24  NARRATION 

write  the  next  sentence,  although  they  know  fairly 
well  the  main  thing  that  they  wish  to  say  in  the 
theme.  Now  the  trouble  is  that  such  students  are 
thinking  too  much  of  the  next  sentence,  and  not 
enough  of  the  important  point.  The  proper  way  to 
write  your  theme  is  to  hold  firmly  in  mind  the  point 
of  the  story  and  to  ask  yourself  how  you  shall  lead  up 
to  that  point.  To  keep  the  end  in  view  is  to  think  of 
the  story  as  a  whole,  and  to  think  of  the  story  as  a 
whole  is  the  first  thing  to  learn  in  narration. 

LESSON    10 
PARAGRAPHING 

As  you  read  this  book,  you  notice  that  each  lesson 
contains  one  or  more  paragraphs;  that  is,  here  and 
there  an  indentation  in  the  left-hand  margin  separates 
that  which  is  to  follow  from  that  which  has  preceded. 
The  divisions  thus  made  by  indentations  are  called 
paragraphs.  Why  do  we  thus  divide  written  and 
printed  discourse  ? 

The  answer  is  that  expression  of  thought,  or  dis- 
course, is  itself  divided,  and  the  indentation  is  merely 
a  mechanical  sign  of  the  division  of  thought.  In 
other  words,  you  make  a  new  paragraph  whenever 
you  take  up  a  new  aspect  of  the  subject.  If  this  book 
is  correctly  paragraphed,  each  paragraph  in  it  will  deal 
with  a  new  phase  of  the  theme.  Paragraphs,  then, 
are  units  of  thinking. 


NARRATION  25 

If  this,  be  so,  paragraphs  will  naturally  vary  with 
the  kind  of  thought  that  is  to  be  expressed.  In  real 
thinking,  which  seeks  its  expression  in  exposition  and 
argument,  the  divisions  of  the  thought  are  more 
logical  than  they  are  in  description  or  narration,  in 
which  the  divisions  are  determined  more  by  usage 
than  by  the  nature  of  the  material.  Almost  any 
sentence  of  a  story  could  be  regarded  as  giving  a 
new  aspect  of  the  subject,  because  it  may  deal  with  a 
separate  action ;  but  it  would  be  absurd  to  make  as 
many  paragraphs  as  this  would  imply.  When  several 
sentences  in  narration  seem  to  you  to  belong  together, 
you  must  put  them  in  the  same  paragraph. 

There  are  also  certain  arbitrary  paragraphs.  Every 
speech  in  conversation  is  paragraphed  separately, 
although  it  consists  of  but  one  word,  like  Yes  or  No. 
The  other  arbitrary  paragraphs  do  not  here  concern  us. 

Since  paragraphing  in  narration  is  a  matter  of 
usage  rather  than  of  thinking,  narration  does  not 
offer  the  best  practice  for  the  study  of  paragraphs. 
The  best  form  of  discourse  for  such  study  is  expo- 
sition. For  the  present,  however,  an  explanation  of 
paragraphing  is  given  in  order  that  you  may  know 
the  meaning  of  a  frequently  used  word. 

PUNCTUATION 

The  student  will  find  punctuation  dividing  itself 
into  two  classes,  —  marks  at  the  end  of  the  sen- 
tence, and  marks  within  the  sentence.  A  ques- 


26  NARRATION 

tion  ends  with  an  interrogation  point,  —  does  it 
not  ?  An  exclamation  ends  with  an  exclamation 
point, —  surely  you  know  that!  Every  other  sen- 
tence ends  with  a  period.  Within  the  sentence,  —  as 
this  sentence  and  the  two  following  sentences  show, 
— punctuation  is  a  more  difficult  matter.  When  you 
are  learning  to  punctuate,  you  may  follow  this  general 
rule :  put  in  no  marks  except  those  needed  to  make 
the  meaning  clear.  lu  time,  you  will  punctuate  just 
as  you  dot  your  i's  and  cross  your  t's  ;  at  present,  you 
must  think  of  the  matter  carefully.  Write  your  com- 
plete sentence,  putting  in  it  the  marks  that  you  think 
belong  there.  Now  go  back  over  it  and  ask  yourself 
whether  it  is  wholly  clear  as  it  stands ;  not,  may  the 
reader  understand  what  you  mean,  but,  is  he  pre- 
vented from  understanding  the  sentence  in  any  other 
way. 

For  example :  — 

He  made  the  suggestion  earnestly  trying  to  help  us. 
Here  the  sentence  has  one  meaning  if  punctuated:— 
He  made  the  suggestion,  earnestly  trying  to  help  us. 
It  has  another  meaning  if  punctuated  :  — 
He  made  the  suggestion  earnestly,  trying  to  lielp  us. 

Some  of  the  uses  of  the  colon  and  the  semicolon 
are  illustrated  in  the  following  sentences :  - 

a.    This,  then,  was  the  course  of  Buck  Smith's  adventure 
on  the  first  day  of  vacation :  while  reading  peacefully,  he  had 


NARRATION  27 

been  summoned  to  the  outlaw's  camp ;  he  had  won  a  hard- 
fought  battle ;  and,  at  the  moment  of  triumph,  had  fled  at  the 
unexpected  arrival  of  his  father. 

6.  The  man  looked  around  doubtfully ;  then  he  struck  out 
to  the  right.  As  he  walked  through  the  darkness,  he  thought 
he  heard  a  step  behind  him;  but  it  was  hardly  the  step  of  a 
man. 

c.  Literature  increases  our  knowledge;  it  gives  us  the  most 
varied  information,  the  most  useful  instruction:  yet  this  is  not 
the  chief  benefit  of  literature ;    that  benefit,  as  we  know,  is 
found  in  its  power  to  uplift  the  heart. 

d.  As  this  sentence  shows,  the  colon  is  correctly  used  in  the 
following  cases :  when  the  first  part  of  the  sentence  states  a 
fact,  and  the  latter  part  illustrates  the  fact;  or  when  the  first 
part  names  a  class,  and  the  latter  part  names  individuals  of 
the  class ;  or  again,  as  in  example  c,  when  the  two  parts  of  a 
sentence  balance  each  other,  presenting  two  related  or  anti- 
thetical phases  of  the  subject,  each  in  about  the  same  form. 

e.  Another  use  of  the  colon  is  the  following:  it  is  to  indi- 
cate that  the  part  of  the  sentence  which  follows  it  explains  the 
part  which  precedes  it. 

The  ordinary  quotation  marks  are  used  in  record- 
ing conversation:  — 

/.    He  said,  "  I  heard  the  man  speak." 

Single  quotation  marks  are  used  to  set  off  a 
quotation  within  a  quotation :- 

-  g.   He  said,  "  I  heard  the  man  speak  these  words,  *  I  will 
not  go.' " 

Write  out  the  following  sentences,  punctuating 
properly,  and  remembering  that  punctuation  includes 
all  marks  that  are  not  letters  and  figures:  — 


28  NARRATION 

1.  If  I  consent  to-morrow  he  will  come 

2.  I  shall  agree  to  anything  practicable  immediately 

3.  Who  is  afraid  who  wants  to  go  home 

4.  If  this  is  right  and  I  think  it  is  then  I  shall  go 

5.  This  is  not  easy  to  read  each  sentence  is  full  of  mean- 
ing 

6.  However  much  he  wants  this  he  cannot  have  it 

7.  I  will  speak  to  him  however  before  he  goes 

8.  Note  carefully  before  rewriting  the  necessary   correc- 
tions 

9.  Three  things  I  believe  remain  to  be  done  to  find  out  the 
facts  as  far  as  we  can  to  compare  notes  when  we  meet  to  take 
prompt  action 

10.  The  bicycle  gave  a  sudden  lurch  the  front  wheel  crashed 
into  the  fence  then  the  rider  picked  himself  up  rather  cau- 
tiously 

11.  I  will  not  he  retorted  accept  the  explanation 

12.  I  think  he  answered  that  I  heard  him  mutter  the  time 
has  come 

13.  Please  let  me  go  fell  upon  deaf  ears 

14.  She  smiled  as  she  answered  how  can  I  tell 

15.  That  argument  is  unreasonable  its  conclusion  as  even  a 
child  can  see  does  not  follow  from  its  premises  its  premises  are 
only  stated  not  proved 

LESSON   11 

Write  a  story,  using  all  the  details  of  either  of 
these  two  groups  :  — 

A  B 

A  girl.  A  peddler. 

A  lamp.  A  parrot. 

A  pantry.  A  handkerchief. 

A  mouse.  A  darkened  room. 


NARRATION  29 

Do  not  be  content  with  writing  the  first  story  that 
comes  into  your  mind,  but  use  your  imagination  to 
make  up,  if  possible,  a  story  that  will  probably  sug- 
gest itself  to  no  one  else.  Your  writing  will  grow 
more  pleasant  to  you,  if  you  feel  that  you  are  writ- 
ing something  original  and  distinctive.  Your  readers, 
also,  will  like  your  stories  better.  Do  not,  however, 
strain  too  hard  for  effects;  the  story  should  sound 
natural. 

LESSON    12 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  give  an  account,  in 
the  first  person,  of  something  unexpected  that  once 
happened  to  you,  —  a  story  that  turned  out  differ- 
ently from  the  way  you  thought  it  would.  Never 
mind  whether  it  is  exciting  or  not ;  your  task  is 
simply  to  tell  a  story  in  which  the  incidents  were 
proceeding  towards  a  goal  which  you  had  foreseen, 
when  at  a  certain  moment  things  took  an  unexpected 
turn  for  better  or  worse,  and  at  the  end  you  found 
yourself  either  disappointed  or  pleasantly  surprised. 
No  matter  how  trifling  the  disappointment  or  the 
surprise,  the  incident  will  serve,  if  the  ending  is  dif- 
ferent from  what  you  thought  it  was  going  to  be. 
Life  is  so  full  of  these  unexpected  turns  of  fortune, 
that  you  must  have  experienced  many  of  them.  It 
will  be  a  part  of  your  task  to  recall  some  suitable 
illustration  without  further  suggestion  from  the  book 
or  from  your  teacher. 


30  NARRATION 

When  you  have  found  something  that  seems  ap- 
propriate, tell  it  over  several  times  aloud.  Use  as 
always  the  advice  hitherto  given  in  regard  to  the 
arrangement  of  your  material,  and  endeavor  to  keep 
your  narrative  within  a  three-minute  limit.  In  this 
story  let  us  consider  three  things :  — 

First,  how  have  you  managed  the  beginning? 
Have  you,  by  your  opening  sentence,  given  your 
hearers  any  idea  of  what  mood  you  were  in  at  the 
very  beginning  of  the  incident?  Note  the  difference 
in  these  beginnings  :  — 

a.   I  ivas  walking  doivn  the  street. 
6.    I  was  hurrying  alum/  f/(ti/ly. 
c.    I  ivas  strolling  aimlessly. 

Does  your  opening  sentence  tell  of  a  happening,  or  is 
it  only  descriptive  ?  Either  may  be  effective. 

Second,  where  have  you  placed  the  turning 
point,  —  near  the  beginning  or  near  the  end  ?  What 
has  determined  its  position  ?  Have  you  told  it  with 
emphasis,  as  if  you  wished  to  indicate  its  importance, 
or  have  you  referred  to  it  casually,  as  if  you  wished 
to  conceal  its  significance  ?  In  either  event,  it  must 
be  told  clearly.  Does  this  incident  follow  naturally 
what  has  gone  before  ? 

Third,  is  the  ending  logical?  That  is,  does  it 
seem  the  natural  result  of  what  has  preceded  it? 
Would  it  be  possible,  with  the  same  beginning  and 
the  same  turning  point,  to  have  a  different  ending  ? 


NARRATION  31 

LESSON    13 

Write  a  story  based  upon  one  of  the  narratives  you 
heard  in  the  class  in  the  preceding  lesson.  You  may 
use  the  plot  of  the  story,  —  that  is,  the  arrangement  of 
events,  —  retaining,  in  a  general  way,  the  same  turn- 
ing point,  the  same  conclusion,  and  the  same  charac- 
ters, if  you  like.  You  are  free,  however,  to  improve 
the  story  in  any  way  you  can.  If,  for  example,  you 
think  that  the  conclusion  was  not  justified  by  what 
went  before,  give  to  your  own  story  the  ending  that 
seems  to  be  the  right  one.  If  the  story  could  more 
appropriately  happen  to  an  older  person,  or  to  a 
younger  one,  change  it  accordingly. 

Tell  the  story  in  the  third  person. 

Because  you  are  writing,  you  are  able  to  use  a 
larger  vocabulary  than  is  customary  in  spoken  lan- 
guage :  hence,  your  account  may  show  better  work- 
manship. On  the  other  hand,  it  may  lack  the 
directness  and  briskness  of  spoken  narrative.  Try 
to  retain  the  good  features  of  both  forms,  the  written 
and  the  spoken,  using  dialogue  if  you  like.  Inasmuch 
as  you  have  had  the  advantage  of  listening  to  a  suc- 
cessfully told  story,  your  version  should  be  all  the 
better  because  the  narrator  has  solved  for  you  the 
difficulty  of  arranging  the  incidents. 

You  should  put  some  time  upon  the  revision,  pay- 
ing attention  to  such  mechanical  details  as  punctua- 
tion, spelling,  grammar,  and  sentence  structure.  Does 


32  NARRATION 

it  seem  to  you  that  most  of  your  sentences  are  built 
upon  the  same  model  ?  This,  even  though  correct,  is 
sometimes  monotonous.  No  one  would  want  to  read 
much  of  the  following  sort  of  thing,  although  it  is 
grammatically  correct :  — 

I  went  down  town.  I  saw  a  horse.  The  horse  was  black. 
He  ran  away.  A  man  stopped  him. 

You  will  not  write  sentences  like  these,  but  your  sen- 
tences may  be  just  as  monotonous,  though  less  abrupt. 
Will  it  be  wise  to  change  the  arrangement  of  any  one 
sentence  you  have  written  ?  Is  there  a  long  sentence 
that  might  be  split  in  two  ?  Are  there  two  short  ones 
that  might  be  combined  ? 

LESSON    14 
REVISION 

Take  the  theme  that  you  wrote  for  the  previous 
lesson,  making  all  needed  corrections  in  spelling, 
grammar,  and  punctuation.  Then  take  up  the  theme, 
sentence  by  sentence.  Has  each  sentence  a  perfectly 
clear  meaning?  Could  it  by  any  chance  have  two 
meanings?  Correct  all  obscure  or  vague  expressions. 
The  question  is  not,  Do  you  understand  this?  but, 
Does  everybody  else  understand  it  ?  Be  severe  in  this 
self-criticism ;  it  will  repay  you  in  the  end. 

In  the  sentences  that  are  perfectly  clear,  have  you 
used  the  passive  voice  when  the  active  would  be  pref- 
erable ?  For  instance, 


NARRATION  33 

The  book  was  picked  up  by  the  boy. 
is  less  direct  than 

The  boy  picked  up  the  book. 

Again, 

Shylock  is  represented  as  being  revengeful. 
tells  no  more  and  is  less  effective  than 

Shylock  is  revengeful. 

Participial  constructions  are  difficult  for  a  young 
writer  to  manage,  and  are  best  replaced  with  clauses. 
For  example, 

Reaching  home,  I  was  met  at  the  door  by  my  father. 
is  not  so  strong  as 

When  I  reached  home,  my  father  met  me  at  the  door. 

Besides,  many  of  these  participial  expressions  are 
used  incorrectly. 

Going  across  the  street,  my  hat  blew  off. 

is  ungrammatical,  as  we  readily  see,  when  we  put  the 
subject  at  the  beginning  and  read  — 

My  hat,  going  across  the  street,  blew  off. 

Here  is  another :  — 

Having  been  frightened,  the  halter  was  broken  by  the 
horse. 


8.    &  H.   RHET. 


34  NARRATION 

By  putting  the  subject  at  the  beginning,  we  dis- 
cover that  — 

The  halter,  having  been  frightened,  ivas  broken  ~by  the 
horse. 

It  would  be  well  to  avoid  participial  constructions 
for  a  while,  until  you  feel  that  such  constructions  would 
sound  better  than  the  more  direct  statements. 

As  you  read  your  story  over,  did  it  seem  to  you 
that  you  made  too  much  use  of  the  word  and?  How 
many  times  could  you  leave  it  out  ?  Many  students 

use  it  to  excess. 

• 

LESSON   15 

To  the  three  details  in  the  first  column,  add  one 
from  the  second,  and  from  these  four  details  construct 
a  story :  — 

A  crowded  street.  A  street  car. 

A  lost  pocketbook.  A  fire  escape. 

A  newsboy.  A  letter  box. 

The  first  three  details,  —  which  must  be  used,- 
obviously  suggest  the  beginning  of  a  story,  a  news- 
boy finding  a  pocketbook.  Perhaps,  however,  he 
may  have  lost  it;  perhaps,  indeed,  he  may  have 
neither  found  nor  lost  it.  At  any  rate,  the  first  three 
details  give  you  a  beginning.  The  way  the  story 
turns  out  will  depend  upon  the  fourth  detail  and 
the  use  you  make  of  it.  Run  over  in  your  mind  the 


NARRATION  35 

various  possible  outcomes  and  make  outlines  of  the 
plots  that  attract  you.  Without  too  much  pondering 
on  the  matter,  choose  an  outline  that  you  feel  you 
can  handle  well.  Think  of  the  story,  putting  your- 
self in  the  newboy's  place,  until  the  incidents  begin 
to  seem  real  to  you.  Then  write  the  story  with  as 
little  hesitation  as  possible,  keeping  in  mind  the  point 
of  the  story  rather  than  the  form  of  the  sentences  or 
the  choice  of  words. 

Now  make  your  revision  as  hitherto,  improving  the 
expression  where  it  is  needed. 

LESSON    16 

The  frequent  difficulty  in  the  use  of  shall  and  will 
arises  from  the  fact  that  the  usage  for  the  second 
and  third  persons  is  precisely  the  reverse  of  the  usage 
for  the  first  person.  Will  expresses  determination  in 
the  person  who  says  it ;  for  all  other  persons  or 
things,  will  expresses  simple  futurity.  Shall,  for  the 
speaker,  implies  simple  futurity ;  for  all  other  per- 
sons and  things,  shall  implies  determination  imposed 
upon  them  by  a  power  not  their  own. 

The  following  examples  use  the  words  shall  and 
will  correctly :  — 

a.  Cowards  may  advise  me  not  to  speak  my  mind,  but  I  will 
speak  my  mind. 

b.  You  will  get  wet,  if  you  have  no  umbrella. 

c.  You  shall  take  an  umbrella,  or  you  shall  stay  at  home. 


36  NARRATION 

d.  Will  he  notice  his  mistake  as  soon  as  he  sees  the  paper  ? 

e.  They  shall  pay  for  their  insolence. 

/  Whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go ;  and  where  thou  lodgest,  I 
will  lodge :  thy  people  shall  be  my  people. 

g.  You  ask  us  to  give  up  our  principles ;  we  say  we  will 
not. 

h.   You  asked  me  to  go ;  I  shall  not  have  the  time. 

i.  They  will  bring  a  fine  team,  and  we  shall  see  a  good 
game. 

j.   That  dog  shall  be  muzzled  this  very  day. 

In  the  following  sentences,  supply  shall  or.  will,  as 
the  meaning  demands,  giving  reasons  for  your  choice. 
Remember  that  in  some  cases  either  shall  or  ivill  is 
correct,  according  to  the  meaning  intended. 

1.  You not  touch  a  hair  of  his  head. 

2.  I  -    -  expect  you  to-morrow. 

3.  We  are  going  there  with  the  determination  to  win,  and 
win  we . 

4.  I stand  by  my  guns  to  the  last. 

5.  He not  do  that  again  if  I  can  help  it. 

6.  -  —  the  Supreme  Court  give  its  decision  to-day  ? 

7.    our  themes  for  to-morrow  be  written  in  ink  ? 

8.  Our  boys play  &  good  game  if  they  keep  up  their 

practice. 

9.  I not  let  that  man  enter  my  house  again. 

10.  You be  fourteen  years  old  to-morrow. 

11.  We be  glad  to  see  you  at  any  time. 

12.  Nobody help  me. 

13.  If  you  don't  do  it,  I . 

Many  people  find  difficulty  in  the  use  of  shall  and 
ivill  in  questions.  Here  is  a  rule :  In  questions, 


NARRATION  37 

always  use  shall  in  the  first  person,  but  with  the  sec- 
ond and  third  persons,  use  shall  when  shall  is  expected 
in  reply,  and  use  will  when  will  is  expected  in  reply. 
For  example,  when  a  person  asks,  Shall  you  see  the 
game  ?  —  he  does  not  expect  the  answer  to  show  voli- 
tion or  determination ;  he  expects  it  simply  to  state  a 
fact,  —  /  shall  or  /  shall  not.  However,  if  a  person 
inquires,  Will  you  do  that  work  ?  —  he  does  expect  the 
answer  to  show  volition  or  determination,  —  /  will  or 
/  will  not. 

Supply  shall  or  will   in   the   following   sentences, 
justifying  your  choice  :  — 

14.  I  -    —  give  you  my  theme  at  ten  o'clock, I  not. 

15.  The  book  ought  to  be  returned ;  he  return  it  ? 

16.  -     -  we  see  you  to-morrow  ? 

17.  What  -    -  I  say  to  your  father  ? 

18.  -     —  the  boys  violate  the  rule  ? 

19.  -     —  she  invite  all  the  girls  this  time  ? 

20.  How we  learn  to  do  that  ? 

21.  When  -    -  you  receive  the  present  ? 

22.  -     —  you  come  with  us  ? 

23.  -     -  you  be  at  home  this  evening  ? 

Punctuate  the  following  sentences :  — 

24.  Studying  is  not  easy  sometimes  the  lessons  are  hard  or 
the  mind  is  not  alert  in  the  latter  case  opening  the  window  to 
let  in  fresh  air  a  wholesome  thing  to  any  person  is  a  simple 
remedy 

25.  Thats  what  I  think  he  said  dont  you  agree 

26.  Where  are  you  going  home  wait  for  me  all  right 

27.  This  photograph  if  you  permit  me  to  say  so  does  not 


38  NARRATION 

do  justice  to  the  subject  at  least  that  is  my  first  impression 
what  do  you  think 

28.  Books  papers  brushes  collars  and  handkerchiefs  were 
lying  about  in  confusion  in  the  room  all  semblance  of  order 
had  been  lost  in  the  hall  however  everything  looked  neat 

LESSON   17 

Write  a  story  with  this  beginning  and  this  ending : 
Eobert  was  undoubtedly  patriotic. 


"Oh!  he'll  get  well  all  right,"  answered  the  doctor. 

First  of  all,  think  of  these  two  sentences  until  some 
clear  connection  in  the  way  of  incident  comes  into 
your  mind.  You  can  make  the  story  either  serious  or 
humorous.  No  doubt  you  have  already  seen  possi- 
bilities in  each  direction. 

In  order  to  make  the  closing  sentence  effective,  you 
must  bring  it  in  naturally;  it  must  be  clearly  con- 
nected with  what  has  gone  before.  The  fact  that  it 
contains  conversation  suggests  that  you  may  use  con- 
versation in  your  story,  but  you  are  free  to  use  much 
or  little.  You  should  bring  in  the  closing  sentence  as 
soon  as  possible  after  you  have  reached  the  most  ex- 
citing point  in  your  story.  Too  often  good  stories 
are  spoiled  because  they  do  not  stop  soon  enough. 

In  this  story,  you  have  been  free  to  select  your  own 
details  instead  of  having  them  given  to  you.  Try  not 


NARRATION  39 

o  use  too  many,  and  be  sure  that  those  you  do  use 
>ear  upon  the  climax.  In  revising,  see  that  your 
letails  are  expressed  clearly  and  directly.  All  the 
nore  is  this  necessary  if  the  story  you  have  chosen  to 
ell  is  one  whose  interest  lies  rather  in  the  telling  than 
the  events. 

LESSON    18 

REVISION 

The  teacher  will  have  returned  to  you  the  stories 
you  wrote  last  time.  They  may  come  back  to  you 
without  any  corrections  whatever,  but  the  teacher  will 
tell  you  of  the  kind  of  mistakes  made  by  most  of  the 
class.  Your  present  lesson  is  to  revise  the  theme  in 
the  light  of  what  you  have  thus  far  learned.  Pay 
particular  attention  to  the  teacher's  general  criticisms. 
See  whether  a  single  one  of  the  faults  mentioned  may 
be  found  in  your  paper.  If  so,  correct  it,  and  correct 
as  well  all  mechanical  errors. 

Now  consider  the  construction  of  the  sentences. 
First  of  all,  of  course,  a  sentence  should  be  perfectly 
clear.  Its  only  purpose  is  to  convey  thought,  and,  if 
it  is  obscure,  it  is  a  failure.  Have  you  placed  near 
together  words  that  belong  together  ?  Very  often  the 
sentence  is  not  clear,  merely  because  the  position  of 
the  words  permits  two  meanings.  Here  are  some 
examples  of  ambiguous  sentences  :— 

a.  His  sprained  ankle  kept  him  out  of  the  game  he  en- 
joyed for  a  time. 


40  NARRATION 

b.  He  was  told  that  his  friend  was  dying  just  as  he  received 
a  letter. 

c.  The  men  announced  that  they  would  do  whatever  they 
wanted  to  do  earnestly. 

d.  He  struck  John  because  he  was  quarrelsome. 

How  should  you  correct  the  above  sentences  ? 

Sentences  may  be  clear  and  grammatical,  and  yet  in- 
effective because  diffuse :  a  writer  uses  too  many  words 
in  coming  to  the  point.  Sometimes  this  fault  may  be 
corrected  by  striking  out  unnecessary  words  or  expres- 
sions. Take  the  sentence  :  — 

On  the  first  day  of  his  arrival  he  immediately  went  without 
delay  to  his  new  home  where  he  intended  to  live. 

What  words  may  be  dropped  here  ?  Why  may  they 
be  dropped?  Because  they  say  something  already 
said,  or  because  they  say  something  not  worth  saying? 
Have  you  written  any  sentences  that  can  be  thus 
improved  ? 

LESSON   19 

A  statement  becomes  a  proverb  because  so  many 
people  find  in  the  statement  a  brief  characterization 
of  their  own  experience.  A  commonly  accepted  prov- 
erb, like  "  Haste  makes  waste,"  doubtless  finds  many 
illustrations  in  our  own  lives.  Write  a  story,  contain- 
ing some  incident  of  your  own  life,  which  illustrates 
one  of  these  proverbs :  — 

1.  Many  hands  make  light  work. 

2.  Love  me,  love  my  dog. 


NARRATION  41 

3.  Too  many  cooks  spoil  the  broth. 

4.  When  the  cat's  away,  the  mice  will  play. 

5.  What  is  sauce  for  the  goose  is  sauce  for  the  gander. 

In  considering  the  subject  you  choose,  remember 
that  you  are  not  to  write  an  essay  upon  the  proverb. 
The  proverb  merely  gives  you  the  subject  for  your 
story.  When  you  have  written  the  proverb  as  your 
title,  do  not  refer  to  it  again.  If  the  story  is  properly 
told,  its  application  will  be  clear.  Try  to  tell  the 
story  in  such  a  way  that  when  the  end  is  reached,  the 
reader  will  think  that  here,  certainly,  is  a  good  illus- 
tration of  the  proverb. 

Make  use  of  what  you  have  previously  learned  in 
narration.  Remember  that  you  can  always  think  of 
more  details  than  you  can  use.  Some  of  them  must  be 
omitted.  Determine,  first  of  all,  what  details  are  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  make  clear  the  point  of  your 
story ;  then,  what  details  will  be  useful,  even  though 
not  absolutely  necessary :  these  latter  you  may  or 
may  not  use.  A  story  that  contains  only  the  essen- 
tials may  move  very  rapidly  and  successfully  to  its 
conclusion ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  it  may  be  so  brief 
as  to  contain  only  what  we  call  facts.  In  this  case, 
further  details  are  necessary  to  give  the  story  natural- 
ness and  interest. 

In  adding  these  useful  details,  be  for  the  present 
sparing  rather  than  lavish ;  for  your  main  task  now  is 
to  deal  with  the  first  requisite  of  story-telling, — move- 
ment, —  that  is,  the  sequence  of  events.  Details  that 


42  NARRATION 

strike  you  as  neither  necessary  nor  serviceable  should 
be  omitted.  When  a  detail  suggests  itself  to  you, 
ask  yourself  whether  it  is  needed  in  the  story.  Your 
answer  must  be,  "Yes,"  "No,"  or  "I  don't  know." 
If  the  first,  use  the  detail ;  if  the  last,  hold  it  for  con- 
sideration ;  if  "No"  is  your  answer,  do  not  use  the 
detail,  and  do  not  think  of  it  again  while  you  are 
writing  your  story.  Of  course  your  answers  may  not 
always  be  correct;  if  they  were,  it  would  not  now  be 
necessary  for  you  to  study  narration. 

LESSON   20 

1.    If  it   had  not  been  his  birthday,  this  would  not  have 
happened 


.__."  Well,  it  comes  only  once  a  year,"  she  replied. 
2.    In  high  spirits  we  ran  down  the  stairs 


When  the  old  man  finished,  we  looked  at  each  other,  but 

none  of  us  spoke  a  word. 

3.    You  never  could  tell  what  Henderson  would  do  next.  - 


After  that  the  boys  made  fixe  safe  hits  in  succession,— 

and  you  know  the  rest. 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  tell  a  story  which 
shall  have  for  its  beginning  and  ending  the  sentences 


NARRATION  43 

in  any  one  of  the  three  combinations  given  above. 
First  read  over  the  advice  given  in  Lesson  17,  p.  38. 
Do  not  spend  too  much  time  in  making  up  your 
mind  which  one  of  the  three  combinations  you  will 
use ;  any  one  of  them  will  give  you  a  story.  Try 
to  have  but  one  important  incident  in  the  story,  and 
but  one  important  character.  Is  the  character  such 
a  person  as  might  naturally  be  concerned  in  the  inci- 
dent ?  If  so,  there  is  no  need  of  explaining  his 
action  ;  if  not,  make  his  connection  with  the  matter 
appear  reasonable  and  probable.  A  story  is  much 
helped  if  the  characters  and  incidents  seem  to  belong 
to  each  other. 

In  practicing  this  story  at  home,  speak  simply  and 
unaffectedly,  as  if  you  were  talking  to  several  friends, 
not  as  if  you  were  delivering  a  speech  or  giving  a 
declamation.  This  story  should  not  occupy  more 
than  four  minutes  in  the  telling. 

LESSON   21 

Make  up  .a  story  in  which  these  three  details  shall 
play  a  part :  — 

Snowballs. 

Two  small  boys.   • 

A  policeman. 

Now  see  how  any  one  of  the  following  persons  — 
one  of  whom  you  must  choose  as  your  main  character 
-  would  bear  himself  in  the  emergency  :  - 


44  NARRATION 

A  high  school  boy. 
A  high  school  girl. 
A  business  man. 
A  tramp. 

Do  not  begin  to  write  your  story  until  you  have 
determined  which  one  of  the  four  characters  is  the 
best  one  to  use.  A  few  words  of  description 
should  be  given  when  you  first  bring  in  your  char- 
acter. This  description  should  be  brief,  —  not  more 
than  twenty-five  or  thirty  words,  —  and  should  be 
in  harmony  with  the  thing  the  person  does  at  the 
climax  of  the  story.  Can  you  decide  whether,  for 
your  purposes,  it  is  better  to  begin  with  the  entrance 
of  your  character,  or  with  the  details  of  the  situation  ? 
Each  way  has  its  advantages.  Can  you  tell  what 
they  are  ?  In  this  story,  your  main  task  is  to  pre- 
sent incident  and  character  in  harmony  ;  that  is,  the 
action  of  the  person  should  be  entirely  characteristic 
of  him.  Therefore,  you  should  ask  yourself  of  each 
detail,  Is  it  at  the  same  time  essential  to  the  narra- 
tive and  characteristic  of  the  person  ?  The  personal- 
ity of  the  main  character  should  give  color  to  the 
whole  story.  The  reader  should  be  led  to  put. himself 
in  the  place  of  the  character  and,  if  possible,  to  sym- 
pathize with  him. 

This  theme  may  show  you  that  it  is  easier  to 
choose  a  character  and  then  think  what  he  will  do. 
than  to  choose  an  incident  and  try  to  find  an  appro- 
priate character  for  it. 


NARRATION  45 

LESSON   22 

Such  expressions  as,  "  He  would  have  liked  to  have 
gone,"  "  He  meant  to  have  spoken, "  "  He  wanted  to 
have  been  present,  "  may  frequently  be  improved  by 
asking  yourself  these  questions  :  —  What  would  he 
have  liked  at  the  time, — to  go  or  to  have  gone  ? 
What  did  he  mean  at  the  moment  he  is  referring  to,— 
to  have  spoken  or  to  speak  ?  What  did  he  want,  not 
now,  but  then, — to  be  present  or  to  have  been  present  ? 
Usually  it  will  be  found  that  the  thing  desired  at  the 
time  in  question  is  to  be  expressed  by  the  simple  in- 
finitive,—  to  go,  to  speak,  to  be  present.  In  other 
words,  put  yourself  back  to  the  time  referred  to  by 
the  principal  verb,  and  complete  the  sentence  as 
common  sense  dictates.  Even  in  the  cases  in  which 
the  perfect  infinitive  might  be  meant,  another  con- 
struction may  be  used  more  effectively.  Thus,  if  the 
speaker  actually  means,  "  I  wished  to  have  gone,"  he 
can  express  his  idea  more  intelligently  by  saying,  "  I 
wished  that  I  had  gone." 

Mistakes  frequently  occur  in  the  position  of  the 
words,  not  only  .  .  .  but  also.  However,  most  of 
these  errors  can  be  prevented  by  following  this 
very  simple  advice :  when  not  only  .  .  .  but  also  are 
used  in  the  same  sentence,  see  that  they  are  followed 
by  the  same  part  of  speech.  What  applies  to  not 
only  .  .  .  but  also  applies,  of  course,  to  not  only  .  .  . 
but. 


46  NARRATION 

This  sentence, 

Mary  not  only  sent  the   look  but  also  the  dress- 
pattern. 
should  be  changed  to  read, 

Mary  sent  not  only  the   book   but   also  the  dress- 
pattern. 

Correct  the  following  mistakes  of  position :  - 

1.  The  general  both  was  determined  to  march  and  to  attack. 

2.  Not  only  is  he  able  to  field  but  also  to  bat. 

3.  He  was  not  only  ready  and  willing  to  speak  but  also  to 
take  the  consequences. 

Of  the  following  sentences,  which  are  correct  and 
which  are  incorrect  ? 

4.  I  only  speak  right  on. 

5.  I  not  only  wished  to  see  him  but  to  speak  to  him. 

6.  I  not  only  saw  him,  as  I  wished,  but  I  spoke  to  him. 

7.  Admission  on  business  only. 

8.  He  wins  not  only  their  approval  but   deserves   their 
affection. 

9.  He  wins  not  only  their  approval  but  also  their  affection. 

10.  Both  William  and  Robert  completed  their   work   and 
went  to  the  game. 

11.  William  and  Eobert  both  completed   their  work  and 
went  to  the  game. 

12.  William  and  Eobert  completed  their  work  and  went  to 
the  game,  both. 

13.  I  liked  to  died  from  laughing. 

14.  I  would  of  done  it  if  I  could. 

15.  No  body  can  protect  (themselves,  himself)  from  such  a 
charge. 


NARRATION  47 

16.  You  must  choose  between  one  of  these  courses. 

17.  You  must  choose  between  these  courses. 

One  drawback  to  satisfactory  expression  is  in  using 
wrong  words ;  that  is,  either  words  that  are  wrong  to 
use  at  any  time,  or  words,  that,  right  in  themselves, 
are  used  in  a  wrong  sense.  Many  words,  perfectly 
good  in  themselves,  are  misused.  A  student  with  a 
given  idea  in  his  mind  employs  a  word  that  does  not 
express  that  idea.  For  example, 

This  does  not  effect  the  case. 
for  — 

This  does  not  affect  the  case. 

A  similar  mistake  is  the  expression,  often  thought- 
lessly used  by  very  careless  writers, 

/  would  of  done  it. 
for  — 

/  would  have  done  it. 

Of  the  same  kind  is  - 

The  accident  was  heartrendering . 

Here  the  speaker,  misled  by  the  similarity  of  sound, 
says  rendering  when  he  means  rending. 

Determine  which  are  the  correct  words  to  use  in 
the  following  sentences  :  — 

18.  The  playful  remark  (aggravated,  irritated)  him  greatly. 

19.  The  first  answer  aroused  his  anger,  and  the  succeeding 
answers  (aggravated,  irritated)  the  feeling. 


48  NARRATION 

20.  I  shall  be  glad  (to  accept,  to  except)  the  flowers  you 
promised  me. 

21.  He  (learned,  taught)  ine  how  to  skate. 

22.  He  (claimed,  maintained)  that  might  makes  right. 

23.  He  (claimed,  maintained)  the  right  to  be  heard. 

24.  I  (admit,  confess)  that  it  was  not  favorable  weather. 

25.  I  frankly  (admit,  confess)  that  I  did  wrong. 

26.  He  (allowed,  admitted)  that  the  case  had  gone  against 
him. 

27.  (Most,  almost)  any  one  could  answer  that. 

28.  He  had  no  (illusions,  allusions)  on  the  subject. 

29.  His  lecture  was  full  of  classical  (illusions,  allusions). 

30.  I  do  not  know  (but  what,  but  that)  I  (will,  shall)  go. 

31.  She  told  us  immediately  after  the  accident  (happened, 
transpired). 

32.  He   has   the   (character,  reputation)   of   being  a   good 
man. 

33.  I  (suspicion,  suspect)  that  the  book  was  stolen. 

34.  I  (expect,  suspect)  that  he  is  right. 

LESSON   23 

1.    She   stepped  into   the   kitchen   and   stood    still    for   a 
moment... 


.The  neatly  bandaged  wrist  did  not  look  bad  at  all. 

2.    All  three  were  exceedingly  ancient,  —  the  wagon,  the 
horse,  and  the  man 


They  were  at  the  station  three  minutes  ahead  of  the 

train. 


NARRATION  49 

3.    The  boy  read  the  letter ;  an  expression  of  dismay  came 
over  his  face.  .. 


He  was  a  chip  of  the  old  block. 


Write  a  story  making  use  of  one  of  the  above  com- 
binations as  your  beginning  and  ending.  Read  again 
the  advice  in  Lesson  17,  p.  38,  and  in  Lesson  20,  p.  43. 
Make  up  your  story  with  the  main  character  and  the 
main  incident  firmly  in  mind.  The  incident  should 
be  thoroughly  characteristic  of  the  main  personage  and 
should  lead  quickly  to  the  concluding  sentence.  You 
can  tell  whether  an  action  is  characteristic  by  answer- 
ing the  question,  "  Should  I  have  done  that  if  I  had 
been  this  person  ?  "  Naturalness,  however,  is  not  the 
only  requisite  of  a  good  story.  Sometimes  a  story 
that  is  entirely  natural  and  plausible  may  be  very 
tedious  indeed ;  as,  for  example,  the  long,  drawn-out 
account  of  trivial  matters  that  we  sometimes  hear  from 
talkative  persons. 

By  this  time  you  should  be  learning  to  choose  such 
incidents  and  to  select  such  details  as  will  give  your 
story  some  real  interest.  Do  not  choose  the  first 
character  or  the  first  incident  you  think  of,  but  weigh 
the  merits  of  the  things  that  occur  to  you,  determin- 
ing which  will  be  of  the  greatest  value  for  your  pur- 
poses. You  cannot  be  sure  beforehand  whether  a  thing 
that  interests  you  will  interest  your  readers,  but,  as 
a  rule,  the  thing  that  appeals  most  vividly  to  your 

8.   &   II.    KHET.  4 


50  NARRATION 

enthusiasm  and  that  arouses  your  best  efforts  has  the 
best  chance  of  interesting  your  readers.  But  whether 
or  not  your  story  is  interesting  through  ingenuity  or 
novelty,  it  can  at  least  be  made  to  hold  the  attention 
through  a  sensible  connection  of  details.  This  is  i\ 
matter  of  care,  and  therefore  easily  within  the  power 
of  most  students. 

LESSON   24 

Slang  is  a  difficult  matter  to  treat.  Granted  that 
many  of  its  uses  are  legitimate,  there  are  still  more 
which  are  not.  The  great  danger  in  the  use  of  slang 
is  that  it  gives  the  student  a  smaller  vocabulary  just 
at  the  time  he  should  be  acquiring  a  larger  one. 
Every  one  who  uses  slang  is  likely  to  have  favorite 
expressions  which  he  uses  too  much.  He  knows 
how  he  is  tempted  to  use  for  all  classes  of  objects  that 
he  likes,  a  single  word  that  expresses  liking.  The 
same  word  is  made  to  do  duty  for  the  liking  which  a 
person  has  for  a  picnic,  a  story,  a  hat,  a  book,  a  girl, 
a  bicycle,  a  flower,  a  journey,  or  a  conundrum.  Now, 
very  obviously,  for  things  so  dissimilar  one  has  dis- 
similar feelings,  and  when  the  same  word  is  used  to 
express  them  all,  the  student  has  made  use,  not  of 
the  several  words  which  he  really  means,  but  of  one 
word  only,  which  has  driven  the  several  words  tem- 
porarily, or  even  permanently,  out  of  his  vocabulary. 

What  is  your  slang  word  expressive  of  liking  ?  Is 
it  the  same  that  it  was  a  year  ago  ?  What  is  your  word 


NARRATION  51 

expressive  of  dislike  ?  Frankly,  for  how  many  of  the 
following  objects  do  you  use  that  expression :  —  a 
rainy  day,  slipping  on  an  orange  peel,  a  lost  ball,  a 
book  left  at  home,  an  extremely  hard  problem,  a  catch 
question  in  an  examination,  a  lost  pocketbook,  extra 
work,  spiders,  a  humiliating  mistake,  a  sharp  criti- 
cism ? 

Now,  not  only  is  your  vocabulary  impoverished 
when  you  use  one  word  instead  of  many,  but  also, 
because  you  are  using  the  one  word,  you  are  tending 
to  limit  your  mind  to  the  one  idea,  and  this  process 
means  fewer  words  and  fewer  ideas,  when  you  need 
more  of  both. 

The  only  safe  rule,  then,  in  regard  to  slang  is  to 
dispense  with  it  in  your  writing  and  in  your  serious 
conversation.  If  you  use  it  in  lighter  conversation, 
as  you  have  a  right  to  do,  be  sure  that  it  does  express 
your  idea  more  pleasantly  than  would  the  generally 
accepted  word.  In  writing,  there  is  one  place  where 
you  may  use  slang, —  where  you  are  reporting  the 
conversation  of  persons  addicted  to  it.  Be  moderate 
even  here.  One  who  is  guided  by  good  taste  will 
make  few  errors  in  the  use  of  slang. 

Rewrite  the  following  sentences,  substituting  better 
words  for  all  expressions  that  are  slangy,  overused, 
or  incorrect :  — 

1.  I  love  oysters. 

2.  Portia  in  The  Merchant  of  Venice  is  all  right. 

3.  It  is  up  to  the  jury  to  say  if  he  is  guilty. 


52  NARRATION 

4  The  umpire  wouldn't  stand  for  that  kind  of  kicking. 

5.  Helen  of  Troy  was  the  prettiest  lady  in  the  world. 

6.  That  joke  is  simply  killing. 

7.  Did  you  get  a  bid  to  the  dance  ? 

8.  I  reckon  I  shall  get  one. 

9.  The  bank  was  burglarized  last  night. 

10.  Three  jailbirds  are  suspicioned  of  having  done  it. 

11.  That  rifle  is  a  beaut. 

12.  He  was  shy  in  his  accounts  to  the  tune  of  fifty  cents. 

13.  She  is  a  stunning  girl. 

14    These  handkerchiefs  are  just  dears. 

15.  Evangeline  is  very  nice. 

16.  Isn't  that  a  lovely  dog! 

17.  Your  new  hat  is  too  sweet  for  anything. 

18.  I  just  go  crazy  over  old  china. 

19.  He  jumped  on  my  argument  with  both  feet. 

20.  Kipling  makes  me  tired. 

21.  He  is  a  nice  clergyman,  and  his  prayers  are  nice,  too. 

22.  He  started  to  register  a  kick,  but  we  were  on  to  his 
game. 

23.  His  story  was  only  a  bluff. 

24.  A  beautiful  and  accomplished  young  lady  is  shortly  to 
be  married  to  one  of  the  leading  lights  of  the  legal  profession 
in  our  bustling  little  city. 

25.  The  distinguished  visitor  was  welcomed  into  our  midst. 

26.  Born  of  poor  but  honest  parents,  he  rose  rapidly  from 
the  ranks,  and  now  occupies  the  top  rung  of  the  ladder. 

27.  We  had  the  grandest  time. 

LESSON   25 

Write  a  story  including  the  three  details  in  the 
first  column  and  one  of  the  three  in  the  second 
column :  — 


NARRATION  53 

A  careless  lawyer.  A  church. 

An  unsealed  envelope.  A  post  office. 

A  mortgage.  A  deserted  house. 

Imagine  some  simple  story  that  shall  utilize  the 
first  three  details.  Now  see  in  what  ways  the  char- 
acter and  the  outcome  will  be  altered  by  laying  the 
scene  of  the  story  in  one  of  the  three  places  given 
you  to  choose  from.  This  will  help  to  show  you  the 
importance  of  having  an  appropriate  setting  for  your 
stories. 

In  order  to  make  the  story  seem  more  vivid,  give  a 
brief  description  of  the  place  you  choose.  Preferably 
this  should  be  the  place  in  which  the  story  ends.  You 
need  not  withhold  this  description  till  the  latter  part 
of  the  story  unless  you  like  ;  it  may  come  at  the  very 
beginning  if  you  do  not  intend  to  change  the  scene 
in  the  course  of  your  narrative. 

Are  you  prepared  to  say  whether  you  prefer  to 
write  a  story  chronologically, — that  is,  in  the  order 
of  time, —  or  to  begin  at  some  fairly  exciting  mo- 
ment? For  example,  here  is  a  beginning  of  the  first 
kind :  — 

There  was  a  lawyer  who  knew  more  about  law  than  he  did 
about  business  matters,  and  who  had  gained  the  reputation  of 
being  unmethodical,  although  no  one  doubted  his  honesty  and 
ability.  One  day  he  mislaid  a  mortgage,  and  for  the  better 
part  of  an  afternoon  he  searched  his  office  repeatedly,  going 
through  the  piles  of  answered  and  unanswered  letters  that 
covered  his  untidy  desk. 


54  NARRATION 

Contrast  this  with:  — 

The  lawyer  impatiently  pushed  back  his  chair  and  sprang 
to  his  feet.  "  There's  no  use  hunting,"  he  exclaimed,  "  I  can't 
find  it.  Next  time  I  take  care  of  a  mortgage,  I'll  put  it  into 
my  safe  the  minute  I  get  it,  —  that  is,  if  I  get  out  of  this  ex- 
perience with  enough  money  to  hire  a  room  to  keep  a  safe  in." 

Here  are  two  entirely  different  beginnings.  Are 
any  points  brought  out  in  one  that  are  not  in 
the  other  ?  Do  you  see  any  advantages  that  one 
form  possesses  over  the  other  ?  In  your  own  theme, 
you  need  not  feel  under  the  slightest  obligation  to 
make  the  lawyer  lose  the  mortgage:  there  are  other 
ways  of  being  careless  besides  losing  things ;  some- 
times, too,  careless  people  are  wrongly  accused.  In 
your  brief  description  of  the  place  —  and  did  you,  by 
the  way,  describe  the  lawyer's  personal  appearance?  — 
have  you  used  the  best  words  to  convey  to  your  reader 
the  picture  you  had  in  mind  ?  Pay  attention  to  this 
when  you  revise.  These  are  small  matters,  but  they 
add  to  the  general  effect. 

LESSON   26 

Prepare  to  tell  in  the  class  a  story  in  which  the 
main  character  is  taken  for  somebody  else,  and  in 
which  something  happens  because  of  the  mistaken 
identity.  It  is  not  necessary  to  take  an  incident  that 
really  happened;  it  will  be  quite  enough,  if  you  first 
imagine  a  person  about  to  do  something,  and  then 


NARRATION  55 

imagine  what  would  happen,  if  he  were  taken  for 
some  one  else.  The  main  character  may  or  may  not 
be  aware  of  the  mistake  until  the  end.  The  hearers 
may  be  kept  in  the  dark,  or  be  let  into  the  secret  at 
once.  Of  course,  when  the  same  lesson  is  assigned 
to  all  the  members  of  the  class,  every  one  will  know 
that  you  are  going  to  tell  a  story  of  mistaken  identity. 
But  you  may  proceed  upon  the  assumption  that  no 
one  will  know  anything  about  your  story  except  what 
he  infers  from  the  things  you  tell.  You  may  tell  the 
story  in  the  first  or  the  third  person. 

LESSON   27 

Hitherto  you  have  been  limited  in  regard  to  sub- 
ject. Your  present  lesson  is  to  write  whatever  story 
you  please,  making  the  best  use  you  can  of  what  you 
have  thus  far  learned  about  narration.  This  is  your 
chance  to  deal  with  your  own  material  in  your  own 
way.  You  may  select 'a  wholly  imaginative  subject, 
or  one  that  is  partly  or  entirely  real.  Take  any 
subject  in  which  you  feel  a  genuine  interest.  Enthu- 
siasm, you  will  find,  stimulates  the  brain,  bringing  out 
new  possibilities  of  the  story  ;  while  indifference  dulls 
the  imagination,  preventing  a  writer  from  seeing 
even  the  ordinary  possibilities  of  his  material. 

Take,  then,  a  subject  that  thoroughly  interests 
you,  —  there  are  surely  many  things  that  appeal  to 
an  intelligent,  wide-awake  student.  The  subject  you 


56  NARRATION 

are  most  interested  in  will  not  necessarily  produce  the 
most  successful  story.  Take  your  chances,  how- 
ever,—  you  will  learn  something  even  from  failure, 
if  you  happen  to  fail ;  but  it  is  much  more  likely  that 
the  most  interesting  subject  will  make  the  best  story. 
In  addition  to  your  interest  in  the  subject,  you 
have  now  some  knowledge  of  narrative  method. 
This  is  but  another  way  of  saying  that  to  treat  your 
own  subject  in  your  own  way,  if  you  have  real 
interest  and  some  skill  in  story-telling,  will  produce 
the  best  results  of  which  you  are  capable. 

If  you  had  been  given  such  freedom  at  the  outset  of 
your  work,  your  inexperience  in  written  narration 
would  probably  have  prevented  you  from  writing 
clearly  and  directly.  Now,  however,  you  have  had 
enough  practice  to  enable  you  to  use  this  oppor- 
tunity with  at  least  some  degree  of  effectiveness. 
Write  your  story,  then,  without  seeking  further  ad- 
vice or  direction  than  that  given  in  this  lesson. 

LESSON   28 

In  addition  to  mistakes  arising  from  a  wholly 
wrong  use  of  words,  —  such  as  hear trender ing  when 
heartrending  is  meant,  —  mistakes  are  likely  to  occur 
from  the  use  of  words  somewhat  resembling  the 
correct  words.  In  the  following  examples  you  will 
find  pairs  of  words  allied  to  each  other  in  meaning, 
yet  with  a  sufficient  difference  in  meaning  to  make, 
in  the  given  case,  one  of  the  words  right  and  the 


NARRATION  57 

other  wrong.  Look  up  the  words  in  a  good  diction- 
ary and  consider  carefully  the  shade  of  meaning 
attaching  to  each  word. 

Bring  to  the  class,  in  writing,  the  following  sen- 
tences, using  the  correct  word  wherever  there  is  a 
choice :  - 

1.  I  was  (conscious,  aware)  of  his  presence. 

2.  Show  your  (patriotism,  loyalty)  by  supporting  your  own 
team. 

3.  He  is  very  (well  liked  by,  popular  with)  a  few  people. 

4.  The   poor  fellow  begged   (piteously,  pitifully)  for  as- 
sistance. 

5.  Sometimes  one  may  be  made  (healthful,  healthy)   by 
eating  (healthful,  healthy)  food. 

6.  He  is  (likely,  liable)  to  be  promoted. 

7.  If  he  does  this,  he  is  (apt,  liable)  to  be  arrested. 

8.  She  is  a  (noted,  notorious)  novelist. 

9.  "I  fear  that  I  am  not  the  man  for  the  position,"  he 
said  (depreciatingly,  deprecatingly). 

10.  That  election  (transpired,  occurred)  a  full  year  ago. 

11.  The  map  of  Europe  was  changed  by  the  (invention,  dis- 
covery) of  gunpowder. 

12.  He  (claimed,  maintained)  that  the  building  cost  more 
than  was  necessary. 

13.  She   was   full  of  (information,  knowledge)    about  the 
matter. 

14.  He  was  (voluntarily,  wilfully)  disobedient. 

15.  The   whole   team  disputed   the  umpire's    (verdict,  de- 
cision). 

16.  You  ask  if  I  will  go.     Yes,  I  am  (agreeable,  willing). 

17.  This  old  coin  is  (rarer,  more  unique)  than  that. 

18.  I   must    say    that    his    stupid    reasons    sounded    very 
(unique,  queer)  to  me. 


58  NARRATION 

19.  He  is  a  boy  of  (vicious,  incorrigible)  habits,  which  ought 
to  be  changed  for  the  better. 

20.  His   answer,    while    free   from   any   real   malice,   was 
(contemptible,  contemptuous). 


LESSON   29 

Write  a  theme  upon  this  subject,  My  Difficulties 
in  English  Composition.  This  paper  is  to  be  handed 
in  to  the  teacher,  but  it  will  not  be  read  to  the  class. 
It  will  be  returned  to  you  several  months  later,  so 
that  you  may  see  whether  your  difficulties  then  are 
your  difficulties  now.  Write  frankly,  asking  yourself 
not  what  difficulties  others  have  had,  but  what  have 
been  your  own. 

Tell  what  things  you  found  most  difficult  at  first. 
Are  these  now  easier  for  you  ? 

Were  the  things  that  are  now  difficult,  difficult  at 
the  outset  ? 

Are  there  difficulties  that  you  have  not  in  any 
degree  succeeded  in  overcoming  ? 

Is  the  choice  of  words  harder  for  you  than  the 
construction  of  sentences  ? 

Do  you  find  yourself  hampered  by  spelling  or 
punctuation  ? 

Is  it  harder  to  choose  the  right  details  in  a  story 
than  it  is  to  find  details  to  choose  from  ? 

If  you  write  freely  and  explicitly,  you  will  help 
yourself  materially,  for  to  state  a  difficulty  is  to  take 
the  first  step  to  overcome  it. 


NARRATION  50 

The  classroom  recitation  for  the  day  will  be  an 
oral  criticism  of  the  stories  written  for  Lesson  27. 
The  teacher  will  read  to  you  several  stories  that 
fairly  represent  the  class.  Your  task  is  to  tell  what 
is  good  and  what  is  bad  in  each  of  the  stories  read. 
Such  a  question  as,  "Do  you  like  the  story?"  while 
worth  asking,  is  less  important  than  the  question,  uls 
the  story  well  done?"  You  may  not  like  a  boy's 
account  of  a  football  match,  but  you  should  give  him 
the  credit,  if,  in  telling  the  story,  he  shows  narrative 
skill.  You  may  not  be  interested  in  a  girl's  account 
of  how  she  made  a  dress,  but  you  should  give  her 
credit,  if,  in  the  telling,  she  has  solved  any  of  the 
difficulties  of  narration  that  have  troubled  you.  En- 
deavor to  be  fair  in  your  attitude  and  just  in  your 
conclusions. 

LESSON   30 

The  following  points  regarding  narration  should  be 
in  the  student's  mind  when  writing  or  criticising  a 
story  :  — 

1.  The  story  should  proceed  to  its  climax  logically. 

.  2.  The  characters  and  incidents  should  harmonize. 

3.  The  characters  should  be -self-consistent. 

4.  The  place  and  the  time  should  be  suitable  to  the 
characters  and  the  incidents. 

5.  The  conversation  should  be  natural. 

6.  The  style  should  fit  the  nature  of  the  story. 

7.  The  story  should  be  free  of  irrelevant  matter. 


60  NARRATION 

8.  The  story  should  begin  near  an  interesting  point. 

9.  The  story  should  end  as  soon  as  possible  after  the 
climax. 

Study  the  following  narratives  and  determine 
whether  they  have  each  of  the  preceding  charac- 
teristics. Be  prepared  to  defend  your  opinion  ;  this 
you  cannot  do  unless  you  read  the  narratives  repeat- 
edly and  think  about  them  carefully. 

I  was  born  free  as  Caesar :  so  were  you. 

We  both  have  fed  as  well,  and  we  can  both 

Endure  the  winter's  cold  as  well  as  he. 

For  once,  upon  a  raw  and  gusty  day, 

The  troubled  Tiber  chafing  with  her  shores, 

Csesar  said  to  me,  "  Dar'st  thou,  Cassius,  now 

Leap  in  with  me  into  this  angry  flood, 

And  swim  to  yonder  point  ?  "     Upon  the  word, 

Accoutred  as  1  was,  I  plunged  in 

And  bade  him  follow ;  so  indeed  he  did. 

The  torrent  roared,  and  we  did  buffet  it 

With  lusty  sinews,  throwing  it  aside 

And  stemming  it  with  hearts  of  controversy; 

But  ere  we  could  arrive  the  point  proposed, 

Csesar  cried,  "  Help  me,  Cassius,  or  I  sink ! " 

I,  as  ^Eneas,  our  great  ancestor, 

Did  from  the  flames  of  Troy  upon  his  shoulder 

The  old  Anchises  bear,  so  from  the  waves  of  Tiber 

Did  I  the  tired  Caesar.     And  this  man 

Is  now  become  a  god ;  and  Cassius  is 

A  wretched  creature  and  must  bend  his  body 

If  Csesar  carelessly  but  nod  on  him. 

—  Julius  Ccesar,  I,  ii 


NARRATION  61 

In  a  little  village  in  the  south  of  France  there  was  a  peas- 
ant who  carried  butter  and  eggs  every  week  to  the  market  in 
Marseilles.  As  he  was  the  only  villager  who  went  often  to 
town,  his  neighbors  always  stopped  him  on  his  return  and 
asked,  "Well,  is  there  anything  new  in  the  city?"  or, "Have 
you  seen  anything  worth  while  to-day  ?  "  The  answer  was 
almost  always,  "No";  for  the  man  was  a  dull  and  unobserv- 
ing  fellow,  and  it  was  enough  for  him  if  he  sold  his  butter 
and  eggs.  Consequently  his  neighbors  teased  him,  saying,  "  If 
the  cathedral  itself  were  to  burn  down,  you  wouldn't  know 
anything  about  it !  " 

After  a  while  the  man  grew  tired  of  the  teasing,  and  one 
day  when  the  baker  asked  him  the  usual  question  he  ex- 
claimed, "  Have  I  seen  anything  new  ?  Well,  I  should  say  I 
have.  The  cathedral  is  burning  to  the  ground!" 

The  baker  rushed  at  once  to  tell  his  wife  and  everybody 
else ;  and  iu  a  few  minutes  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  pious 
little  village  were  greatly  excited  over  the  distressing  news. 
A  number  of  people  started  off  to  see  the  fire,  and  they  were 
joined  by  more  and  more,  till  presently  all  the  people  who  could 
walk  were  trooping  down  the  great  highroad  to  Marseilles. 

The  peasant  who  had  told  the  yarn  stood  in  the  door  of  his 
cottage,  in  open-eyed  astonishment  at  the  tumult. 

"  Hi ! "  he  called  out  to  one  of  the  hurrying  mob,  "  where  is 
everybody  going  ?  " 

"Why,"  rejoined  the  man  without  stopping,  "haven't  you 
heard  that  the  cathedral's  burning  down  ?  Come  along  if  you 
want  to  see  the  sight !  " 

"  That's  funny,"  muttered  the  peasant,  scratching  his  head. 
"  If  all  these  people  are  going  to  see  the  fire,  there  must  be 
something  in  that  story  after  all !  " 

And  he  seized  his  cap  and  followed  the  crowd. 

—  Paraphrased  from  the  French. 

As  he  entered  the  dense  wood,  its  coolness  was  most  pleas- 
ant after  the  hot  sunshine,  but  the  deep  shadow  was  almost  as 


62  NARRATION 

ominous  as  it  was  restful.  It  was  an  unfamiliar  region  to  the 
young  page,  and  behind  some  tree  might  hide  an  enemy  of  his 
master,  or,  even  worse,  behind  any  tree  might  lurk  an  evil 
woodland  sprite.  Indeed,  it  was  an  error  of  judgment  to  leave 
the  beaten  path  at  all,  but  the  desire  to  shorten  the  journey 
and  thereby  the  sooner  to  place  in  proper  hands  the  talisman 
intrusted  to  his  charge  had  been  an  irresistible  temptation. 
He  threaded  his  way  among  the  trees,  at  first  keeping  his 
hand  upon  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  and  then  as  the  ground  sloped 
suddenly  downward  and  jagged  rocks  appeared  among  the  trees, 
he  drew  his  small  sword  and  kept  it  ready  in  his  right  hand. 

The  brook  at  the  bottom  of  the  hollow  was  too  wide  to  leap, 
too  swift  to  ford.  It  seemed  best  to  turn  to  the  left  and  go  up 
the  stream  until  he  could  find  a  place  to  cross.  The  footing 
was  no  longer  easy,  and  the  boy  would  have  given  much  to  be 
back  on  the  open  way,  hot  and  roundabout  though  it  was. 
But  the  youthful  courage  that  had  made  his  master  intrust 
him  with  the  talisman  kept  the  page  from  turning  back  now. 
Useful  enough  he  found  his  sword  as  he  cut  his  way  through 
the  thorny  underbrush,  which  grew  between  the  stream  and  the 
rocks  that  were  now  like  a  steep  wall  at  his  left.  A  sharp 
turn  round  a  projecting  crag  that  overhung  the  water  brought 
him  into  a  circular  basin  scooped  out  of  the  stone  with  precipi- 
tous walls  all  around.  Only  a  narrow  edge  of  rock  a  scant 
yard  in  width  gave  him  a  foothold;  the  rest  of  the  basin  was 
filled  with  a  whirling  tide  of  waters  whose  source  was  plainly 
the  cavernous  opening  squarely  in  front  of  him.  There  could 
be  no  further  progress  this  way. 

He  turned  around  to  find  his  retreat  blocked  by  a  dwarf  who 
glared  at  him  malignantly.  The  creature  was  hideous  and 
strong  and  had  a  dagger  in  his  right  hand ;  this  the  page  saw 
at  a  glance  as  he  sprang  back  in  an  attitude  of  defense,  ready 
for  the  attack,  which  came  at  once.  The  dwarf  advanced  a  step 
or  two,  cautiously,  and  then  rushed.  The  point  of  the  sword 
checked  him,  but  not  before  his  dagger  had  wounded  the  page's 


NARRATION  63 

wrist.  He  stepped  back,  paused  a  moment,  and  rushed  upon 
the  youth  again.  This  time  the  attack  was  even  fiercer  and 
broke  down  the  boy's  defense  ;  the  sword,  struck  by  the  dagger, 
flew  from  the  page's  hand  into  the  pool,  but  the  fury  of  the 
onset  cost  the  dwarf  his  footing.  He  saved  himself  from  the 
pool  only  by  a  violent  movement  which  flung  him  crouching 
against  the  wall  of  rock.  The  dagger  dropped  just  between 
the  two  antagonists.  Each  tried  to  seize  it.  The  crouching 
position  of  the  dwarf  gave  him  the  advantage,  and  it  was  not 
the  page's  hand  that  grasped  the  dagger. 

Sure  of  victory,  his  evil  eyes  fastened  upon  his  opponent,  the 
dwarf  rose  slowly  to  his  feet,  and  made  ready  for  the  end. 
A  sudden  hope  leaped  into  the  heart  of  the  page.  Like  a  flash 
he  drew  from  his  breast  the  talisman  and  held  it  at  arm's  length 
above  his  head.  The  dwarf  reeled  and  fell  headlong  into  the 
stream.  Not  a  sound  had  been  uttered  on  either  side. 

"  I  know,"  declared  Anne,  "  that  you  two  girls  have  a  secret, 
and  you  might  as  well  tell  it  to  me  to-day  as  to-morrow."' 

"  It  isn't  a  secret,"  answered  Martha,  smiling. 

"  Or  rather,"  interrupted  Edith,  "  it  was  a  secret,  Anne,  but 
it  isn't  now." 

"  Please  tell  me  right  away,"  exclaimed  Anne.  "  Who  is  it 
about  ?  " 

"  It's  about  Florence  White,"  began  Martha. 

"And  she's  had  such  luck,"  interposed  Edith. 

"  Now  wait,"  protested  Martha,  "  don't  tell  it  all  at  once. 
You'll  spoil  the  whole  story.  Let  me  tell  it.  Florence  got  a 
note  yesterday,  telling  her  to  come  to  the  piano  store  and  give 
her  advice  about  the  selection  of  a  piano.  Wasn't  that  sur- 
prising?" 

"  But  who  wrote  the  note  ?  "  questioned  Anne. 

"The  manager  of  the  store,"  remarked  Edith,  adding,  "and 
of  course  Florence  went  at  once  and  tried  all  the  pianos  there 
and  made  a  splendid  selection." 


64  NARRATION 

"  For  whom  ?  "  inquired  Anne. 

"  You  see,  Edith,"  observed  Martha,  "  you  are  not  telling  it 
right  at  all.  Let  me  tell  it.  I  can  do  it  better  than  you." 

"  Well,  and  what  then  ?  "  urged  Anne. 

"  Well,"  continued  Martha,  "  when  she  got  to  the  store  the 
clerk  said,  '  Miss  White,  will  you  help  us  select  a  piano  for  a 
young  lady  who  is  not  to  know  anything  about  it  until  she  re- 
ceives it  ?  Will  you  keep  the  secret  ? ' ' 

"And  Florence  said  of  course  she  would,"  cried  Edith. 
"Wasn't  that  a  joke?" 

"  I  don't  see  the  joke,  but  then  what  ?  Tell  me,"  entreated 
Anne. 

"And  then,"  Martha  went  on,  "she  selected  a  perfectly 
beautiful  piano  just  as  I  said — " 

"  Just  as  /  said,"  retorted  Edith. 

"  But  then  what  ?  "  implored  Anne. 

"  Then,"  continued  Edith,  "  the  clerk  thanked  her  and  she 
went  out  for  a  walk.  And  that's  all." 

"Oh! "gasped  Martha,  "you've  left  out  the  whole  point." 

"  Do  please  tell  me  what  next !  "  begged  Anne. 

"Then,"  replied  Martha  excitedly,  "when  she  got  home, 
there  was  the  piano.  And  that's  all." 

"Oh!  Martha,"  expostulated  Edith,  "you've  left  out  the 
whole  point." 

"  You  must  tell  me  who  gave  it  to  her,"  commanded  Anne. 

"Why,  her  father  !  "  laughed  Edith. 

"  For  her  birthday  !  "  continued  Martha. 

"  How  perfectly  lovely  ! "  declared  Anne. 


DESCKIPTION 

LESSON   31 

Write  a  description  of  the  room  in  which  you  study 
at  home. 

Before  you  begin,  read  the  following  suggestions, 
which  will  make  your  task  easier.  The  purpose  of 
your  description  is  to  create  in  your  reader's  mind  a 
clear  and  satisfying  picture.  To  begin  with,  you  are 
so  familiar  with  the  room  that  you  would  probably 
forget  to  note  some  of  the  things  that  would  imme- 
diately catch  a  stranger's  eye ;  and,  for  precisely  the 
same  reason,  you  might  mention  something  that  a 
stranger  would  either  not  see  or  not  care  to  mention 
if  he  were  describing  the  room.  Your  familiarity, 
then,  would  probably  lead  you  to  ignore  what  we 
call  proportion  ;  that  is,  a  sense  of  the  relative  value 
of  important  arid  of  insignificant  details.  To  be  con- 
crete, if  you  begin  by  saying  — 

In  the  corner  of  my  room  is  a  small  chair  with  a  carved 
back,  dark  green  damask  covering,  somewhat  the  worse  for 
wear. 

-and  follow  this  description  by  enumerating  other 
articles  of  furniture,  your  reader  may  have  some  idea 
of  the  separate  pieces  of  furniture,  such  as  he  might 
derive  from  an  auctioneer's  catalogue,  but  he  will 

8.   &  H.   RHET. 5  65 


66  DESCRIPTION 

have  no  clear  idea  of  your  room  as  a  room.  You 
have  given  him  particular  details  before  you  have 
given  him  an  idea  of  the  whole  room  in  which  these 
details  are  but  a  part. 

Now  try  this  plan :  Leave  your  room  for  a  while 
and,  on  returning,  open  the  door  and,  standing  on 
the  threshold,  look  in  as  if  you  had  never  seen  the 
room  before.  Now,  what  is  your  general  impression  ? 
Does  the  room  look  to  you  large,  or  medium-size,  or 
small  ?  Is  it  of  irregular  shape  ?  Does  it  seem  light 
or  dark  ?  Is  there  an  effect  of  many  windows,  or  of 
many  pictures,  or  of  many  books?  Does  the  room 
seem  crowded  with  furniture  or  bare  ?  Is  the  color- 
ing of  the  wallpaper  light  or  dark?  Does  any  one 
object  immediately  catch  your  eye,  —  a  writing  table, 
a  window  full  of  flowers,  a  fire,  a  striking  picture  ? 
Does  the  room  look  neat  or  disorderly  ?  Has  it  the 
air  of  being  a  student's  room  ?  Does  it  seem  to  you 
to  have  an  air  of  comfort?  Every  one  of  these  ques- 
tions you  can  answer  without  stirring  from  the  door. 

Now  sit  down  at  your  table  and  write  one  or  two 
sentences,  trying  to  convey  to  your  reader  the 
general  impression  which  the  room  has  just  made 
upon  you.  You  need  not  answer  all  of  the  questions 
asked  above,  although  you  may  find  it  wise  to  do  so. 
Now  choose  some  one  spot  in  your  room  from  which 
you  may  describe  the  room  in  detail :  it  may  be  at 
the  door,  it  may  be  at  your  writing  table.  The  pur- 
pose at  present  is  to  see  things  from  a  single,  definite 


DESCRIPTION  67 

point  of  view.  Briefly  describe  the  more  conspicuous 
objects,  —  in  the  case  of  very  familiar  things  the 
mere  naming  often  serves  as  description,  —  taking 
care  to  give  the  reader  a  fair  idea  of  relative  posi- 
tions. Thus  the  description  in  a  is  better  than  that 
in  b. 

a.  A  rocking  chair  is  in  front  of  the  fire,  and  a  lounge 
stretches  under  the  window. 

b.  The  room  contains  a  rocking  chair  and  a  lounge. 

If  you  can  describe  the  room  without  even  using 
the  word  contained,  all  the  better. 

After  having  described  the  material  objects  in  the 
room,  do  you  find  you  can  say  anything  that  will 
give  a  touch  of  personal  interest  to  it  ?  Such  a  per- 
sonal interest  might  come  from  the  fact  that  your 
father  studied  at  the  same  table ;  or  again,  there 
may  have  been  something  in  your  own  experience 
that  would  not  apply  to  any  other  room  you  have 
ever  been  in.  If  nothing  of  this  sort  occurs  to  you, 
let  it  go. 

These  directions  must  not  lead  you  to  think  that 
a  long  description  is  required.  A  single  page  will  be 
sufficient,  two  pages  will  be  the  maximum.  Your 
description,  however,  will  represent  your  selection  of 
necessary  details.  Just  as  in  narration  you  discarded 
all  incidents  that  did  not  bear  upon  the  point  of  your 
story,  so  in  description  you  must  omit  everything  that 
tends  to  confuse  the  reader's  mind. 


G8  DESCRIPTION 

Now  read  over  your  theme.  Have  you  described 
the  things  that  make  your  room,  in  some  respects  at 
least,  different  from  other  rooms  ?  Secondly,  have 
you  described  these  chosen  things  as  well  as  you  can  ? 
Thirdly,  have  you  retained  anything  that  is  irrelevant 
or  unnecessary  ? 

LE2SON   32 

* 

Prepare  an  oral  description  of  some  person  you 
have  seen.  The  description  should  be  confined  to 
matters  of  personal  appearance.  You  are  not  at 
present  to  describe  the  person's  nature.  Just  as  in 
the  preceding  description  you  sought  to  give  the  gen- 
eral impression  first  arid  then  the  particular  details, 
so  in  this  description  begin  by  indicating  the  more 
conspicuous  things.  No  oue  method  of  describing 
can  be  suggested,  but  it  would  certainly  be  ludicrous 
or  ineffective  to  give  a  scattering  description,  such 
as  — 

My  friend  has  bright  eyes  and  large  feet,  and  weighs  a 
hundred  and  forty  pounds. 

Perhaps  the  safest  way  is  for  you  to  describe  those 
things  first  that  you  would  see  if  the  person  were  at 
some  little  distance  from  you ;  then  the  things  you 
would  see  as  he  approached;  and  finally,  the  details 
apparent  only  to  near  observation.  For  instance  — 

I  saw  a  man  of  tall,  lanky  figure,  rapid,  awkward  gait,  try- 
ing to  manage  an  umbrella,  a  basket,  and  an  armful  of  books. 


n  INSCRIPTION  69 

His  face  was  long  and  narrow,  his  hair  and  eyes  were  dark, 
and  he  had  not  been  shaved  for  several  days. 

This  is  not  a  complete  description  ;  it  merely  suggests 
an  order  of  description.  You  need  not  adhere  to  such 
an  order,  provided  you  follow  some  plan  of  your  own 
which  seems  to  you  reasonable. 

It  will  be  better  for  you  to  tell  about  some  person 
whom  you  have  in  sight  while  you  are  making  notes 
for  your  description.  These  notes  may  be  jotted  down, 
or  you  may  look  at  the  person  steadily  and  then  trust 
to  your  memory.  If  possible,  at  the  beginning  or  at 
the  end  of  your  description,  which  should  not  occupy 
more  than  two  minutes,  use  a  sentence  or  two  char- 
acterizing the  person's  whole  appearance,  thus  - 

At  the  first  glance  I  saw  that  he  was  a  tramp,  and  a  par- 
ticularly ragged  one. 

He  gave  me  the  impression  of  an  energetic  manager  of  some 
large  enterprise. 

She  was  a  pleasant,  unaffected,  motherly-looking  woman.    . 

Practice  saying  your  description  aloud  until  you 
feel  sure  that  you  will  not  omit  any  essential  thing. 
You  need  not  try  to  keep  the  same  words  each  time : 
in  fact,  to  do  so  would  exercise  only  your  memory 
and  would  prevent  you  from  improving  your  descrip- 
tion. 

LESSON   33 

Write  a  description  of  a  dwelling  house  seen  from 
without.  Give  general  effects  first.  Try  for  yourself 
the  plan  of  describing  from  ground  to  roof  and  vice 


70  DESCRIPTION 

versa.  Which,  if  either,  do  you  prefer?  Try  to  be 
very  careful  in  the  use  of  descriptive  words.  Note 
the  range  of  meaning  in  such  words  as  house,  home, 
residence,,  abode,  dwelling,  mansion,  manor,  grange, 
farmhouse,  parsonage,  cottage,  hut,  shanty,  hovel; 
pleasant,  attractive,  enticing,  alluring,  fascinating, 
charming,  nice,  tempting,  tantalizing,  neat,  dean,  well- 
ordered,  well-arranged ;  ugly,  unattractive,  hideous, 
mean,  dirty,  dilapidated,  ill-kept,  ruined,  tumble-down, 
tottering,  decaying,  weather-worn,  crumbling.  After 
you  have  written  your  description,  go  through  it, 
underlining  all  the  important  words  that  might  be 
replaced  by  better  words.  Find  better  words  for 
those  you  .have  underlined,  writing  the  new  word 
over  the  old  one.  Use  your  common  sense:  some- 
times a  substitution  turns  out,  on  second  thought,  not 
to  be  a  real  improvement. 

LESSON   34 

Write  out  the  following  sentences,  filling  the 
blanks  with  the  best  words  you  can.  Sometimes 
you  will  feel  that  any  one  of  several  words  will 
serve  as  well  as  another.  In  such  cases,  be  prepared 
to  show  why  all  such  words  are  equally  good.  When 
you  feel  that  but  one  word  can  be  used,  be  prepared 
to  show  why  you  think  it  the  best.  Do  not  be  satis- 
•  fied  with  the  first  word  that  occurs  to  you ;  make  full 
use  of  a  dictionary  or  a  book  of  synonyms. 


DESCRIPTION  71 

1.  After  a  long  afternoon  spent  in  a  successful  search  for 
geological  specimens,  the  boys  turned  about  and  -    -  (walked, 
trudged,  loitered,  sauntered)  cheerfully  homeward. 

2.  "Our  team  isn't  afraid  of  yours !    We  accept  your  chal- 
lenge," he  instantly  -    -  (said,   rejoined,  retorted,   declared, 
replied). 

3.  The  game   was  absolutely  one-sided ;   it   was   a  com- 
plete -      -  (defeat,  repulse,  Waterloo,  downfall,  reverse)  for 
them. 

4.  "  I  never  dreamed  that  she  was  going  to  Europe :  your 
news  is  most  —    -  (surprising,  overwhelming,  appalling,  start- 
ling, sudden)  to  me. " 

5.  In  the  bright  moonlight,  their  shadows  fell (dis- 
tinctly, sharply,  pointedly,  precisely,  definitely)  on  the  snow. 

6.  The  raindrops against  the  window  panes. 

7.  The   fitful   flashes    of    lightning    revealed    the    land- 
scape   . 

8.  The   little   girl   playing  with  her  dolls  made  a  

picture. 

9.  The  prairie  seemed  to  stretch  out  before  him . 

10.  The  knight  mounted  his and  rode  away  without 

casting  a  single behind  him. 

11.  She  -    -  down  the  aisle  in  all  the  pride  of  her  new  hat 
and  jacket. 

12.  The  tramp  was  just  opening  the  gate  when  he  heard  a 
growl.     He  shook  his  head ,  and  —    —  away. 

13.  "  Your  plan  is  —   — ;  it  will  not  work,"  he to  the 

girl,  who  immediately  burst  into  tears. 

14.  "You  are  trying  to  find  your  mother,  your  mother  is 
trying  to  find  your  sister,  and  your  sister  is  trying  to  find  you  ! 
What  an  amusing  -   —  !  "  he ,  laughing. 

15.  The  enraged  dog  -    -  at  his  throat ;  the  boy  -    -  back 
in  terror,  and  -    -  for  help. 

16.  His   explanation    was    very ;    it   covered   all   the 

points  at  issue. 


72  DESCRIPTION 

17.   The   study   period   presented   a    characteristic    scene. 
Some  of  the  students  were  —    -  poring  over  their  books ;  some 

were for  the  close  of  the  hour ;  some  were  dreaming  of 

the coming  vacation;  but  there  was  not  a  dunce 

them,  —  every  one  looked . 


LESSON   35 

Write  a  description  of  some  person  you  have  seen. 
Before  you  begin  to  write,  read  again  Lesson  32.  In 
writing  description  you  have  these  advantages  over 
speaking :  yon  are  more  likely  to  give  details  in  the 
best  order ;  you  can  form  your  sentences  more  con- 
cisely;  you  can  often  convey  more  delicate  shades  of 
meaning,  because  your  writing  vocabulary  is  larger 
than  your  speaking  vocabulary.  Try  to  make  up 
your  mind  what  is  the  most  striking  thing  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  person  you  are  describing.  This  may 
be  a  feature,  as  an  especially  high  forehead ;  an  ex- 
pression, as  a  particularly  pleasing  smile  ;  or  a  general 
effect,  as  chubbiness.  This  is  not  necessarily  the 
thing  that  you  personally  notice  first.  For  most  of  us 
have  a  way  of  looking  for  some  one  feature  in  the 
new  persons  we  meet.  Some  of  us  always  notice  eyes, 
some  notice  ears,  some  notice  teeth, — and  this  habit 
often  leads  a  person  to  see  first  of  all  a  thing  perhaps 
more  characteristic  of  the  observer  than  of  the  person 
observed.  Try,  then,  to  determine  impartially  the 
characteristic  thing  in  the  subject  of  your  description, 


DESCRIPTION  73 

and  then,  while  not  neglecting  other  features  or  char- 
acteristics, put  the  main  emphasis  upon  this  distinc- 
tive thing.  In  other  words,  try  to  give  a  good 
general  idea  of  the  person  and  a  good  special  idea  of 
the  one  or  more  things  that  seem  to  you  to  deserve 
particular  comment.  In  case  nothing  appeals  to  you 
as  distinctive,  a  point  may  be  gained  by  noting  that 
fact.  , 

LESSON   36 

Write  a  brief  description  of  a  place  and  a  person, 
and  with  this  as  a  beginning  prepare  an  oral  story  in 
keeping  with  the  description.  First,  describe  a  place 
in  doors  or  out,  using  not  more  than  seventy-five 
words  (about  ten  lines ) ;  then  write  a  similarly  brief 
description  of  a  person.  Your  story  is  to  involve  this 
place  and  this  person.  You  will  bring  your  descrip- 
tions to  the  class,  read  them  aloud,  lay  down  your 
paper,  and  then  tell  your  story,  which  should  not  oc- 
cupy more  than  three  minutes.  Endeavor  to  make 
your  story  an  account  of  what  would  naturally  hap- 
pen from  bringing  the  described  character  into  the 
described  place.  The  main  object  now  is  not  to  tell 
an  exciting  story,  but  to  make  person,  place,  and  story 
fit  together. 

In  preparing  your  descriptions,  spend  some  time  in 
thinking  of  the  subject,  and  then  write  sentences  that 
shall  summarize  the  thing  you  are  describing  rather 
than  give  details  from  which  your  he'arer  must  con- 


74  DESCRIPTION 

struct  a  general  impression.  Thus  the  following  is 
not  a  good  description  :  - 

The  man  had  dark  hair  and  eyes,  a  sallow  complexion,  and 
a  beard  turning  to  gray,  a  broad  forehead,  a  straight  nose,  high 
cheek  bones,  small  ears,  and  was  of  medium  height  and  weight. 

Give  instead  the  impression  that  such  a  person  pro- 
duces upon  you.  Does  the  man  look  prosperous, 
healthy,  energetic,  sensible,  kindly,  humorous  ?  r  Com- 
pare with  the  kind  of  description  just  given,  a 
description  of  this  sort :  — 

He  was  a  freckle-faced,  auburn-haired,  impudent  little  chap, 
with  ragged  clothes  of  which  he  was  not  in  the  least  ashamed. 
You  might  have  said  that  the  expression  on  his  face  was  a 
smile,  but  you  would  have  been  more  likely  to  call  it  a  grin. 
There  was  nothing  melodious  in  his  voice,  but  every  one  who 
passed  knew  what  paper  he  was  selling. 

As  far  as  you  are  able  you  should  use  the  same 
plan  in  your  description  of  the  place ;  that  is,  tell 
your  general  impression.  You  may,  if  you  choose, 
make  your  description  of  the  person  precede  }Tour  de- 
scription of  the  place.  What  advantage  has  each 
arrangement  ? 

LESSON   37 

Write  a  description  of  some  easily  accessible  view, 
preferably  one  that  takes  in  a  mile  or  more  of  open 
country.  You  need  not  search  especially  for  the 
picturesque ;  any  view  of  land  or  water  will  serve 


DESCRIPTION  75 

that  lets  you  see  something  of  nature.  It  will  do  you 
no  harm  to  take  this  book  with  you  and  to  read  the 
following  suggestions  when  you  have  chosen  the  land- 
scape which  you  intend  to  describe. 

Does  the  scene  before  you  present  any  marked 
characteristics  ?  Is  the  country  flat  or  rolling,  wooded 
or  bare,  farmland  or  pasture,  park  or  unoccupied 
land  ?  Is  there  a  lake  or  a  river  or  an  open  sea  ? 
Let  your  first  sentence  indicate  some  such  general 
view  as  is  here  implied.  Now  you  must  make  up  your 
mind  in  what  order  you  will  describe  the  things  you 
see.  Shall  it  be  from  right  to  left,  from  left  to  right, 
from  foreground  to  background,  from  the  horizon  to 
the  place  where  you  are  ?  A  very  natural  way  is  to 
describe  something  immediately  in  front  of  you,  then 
something  a  little  farther  away,  the  eye  gradually 
increasing  its  vision  until  the  limits  of  the  scene  are 
reached.  After  all,  however,  the  main  thing  is  to 
preserve  the  sense  of  distance  and  of  right  and  left, 
making  of  the  things  which  you  see  several  groups 
rather  than  putting  all  the  details  together  indiscrimi- 
nately. Broadly  speaking,  a  simple  description  of  a 
landscape  is  something  like  making  a  map,  whose 
details  you  can  place  with  more  certainty  after  a 
general  outline  has  been  made.  Read,  if  you  like,  the 
description  from  The  Flight  of  the  Duchess,  quoted  in 
Lesson  52,  p.  90. 

You  may  or  may  not  wish  to  describe  the  sky  that 
is  over  the  scene.  For  instance,  if  your  landscape  is 


76  DESCRIPTION 

part  in  sunshine  and  part  in  shadow,  you  would 
naturally  wish  to  speak  of  the  clouds.  Try  to  find 
descriptive  words  rather  than  words  that  merely 
identify  the  details.  Instead  of  saying  a  large  tree, 
can  you  not  use  as  well  some  second  adjective  in 
describing  the  tree,  as  graceful,  somber,  sturdy,  mas- 
sive? You  may  take  notes  of  what  you  see,  and 
write  your  description  when  you  come  home;  or,  if 
feasible,  write  the  first  draft  of  your  theme  while  the 
scene  is  before  you.  You  will  -find  it  advisable  to 
describe  a  few  things  well  rather  than  many  things 
scantily. 

LESSON   38 

Occasionally  you  will  find  that  some  of  your  sen- 
tences are  short  and  jerky,  although,  taken  by  itself, 
each  sentence  may  sound  right.  The  difficulty  may 
be  overcome  by  learning  how  to  use  the  relative 
pronouns  who,  which,  and  that  effectively. 

Perhaps  you  need  not  be  reminded  that  that  is  not 
used  in  the  possessive  case  and  is  unchanged  in  the 
objective  case ;  and  that  the  inflection  of  who  and 
which,  for  both  singular  and  plural,  is  as  follows :  - 

NOMINATIVE.  who  which 

POSSESSIVE.  whose  whose 

OBJECTIVE.  whom  which 

Taking  the  following  examples,  make  a  single  sen- 
tence out  of  each  one,  by  using  relative  pronouns, 
changing  the  construction,  and  dropping  superfluous 


DESCRIPTION  77 

words.     Write  out  your  new  sentences  and  bring  them 
to  the  class. 

1.  There  is  a  man.     I  saw  him  at  church  yesterday. 

2.  This  is  Dr.  Harrison.     George  told  me  of  his  arrival. 

3.  Henry  offered  a  reward  of  two  dollars  for  his  dog.     It 
had  been  stolen. 

4.  The  man  was  shot  in  the  arm.     He  is  getting  better. 

5.  The  steamboat  was  sunk.     It  struck  a  snag. 

6.  The  man  is  a  teacher.     I  spoke  to  him. 

7.  I  received  this  letter  from  William.     His  handwriting 
is  bad. 

8.  I  gave  the  book  to  him.     It  was  intended  for  that  very 
person. 

9.  I  refer  to  Mrs.  Smith.      You  have  heard  your  mother 
speak  of  her. 

10.  There  goes  the  man.     His  overcoat  was  stolen. 

11.  There  goes  the  man.      The  overcoat  was  stolen  by  him. 

12.  This  gift  was  sent  by  Frank.     We  have  received  many 
pleasant  tokens  from  him. 

13.  I  have  been  writing  at  a  desk.     The  surface  is  rough. 

14.  He  failed  of  the  purpose.  He  was  chosen  for  the  purpose. 

15.  The  man  ought  not  be  forgotten.    He  made  that  speech. 
He  wrote  that  book. 

16.  This  statesman  ought  to  be  honored  by  every  patriot. 
He  labored  so  long  and  faithfully.     Under  his  leadership  was 
passed  the  famous  bill.     The  bill  guaranteed  fair  treatment  to 
all  classes. 

17.  Mary's  pet  rabbit  was  stolen  yesterday.    Mary  found  the 
pet  rabbit  to-day  in  a  neighbor's  yard. 

18.  They   reached   the   outpost.     It  was  safe  to  leave  the 
Tartar  chieftain  at  it. 

19.  He  asked  a  question.     I  answered,  "Yes,"  to  it. 

20.  You  are  students,  You  ought  to  take  these  opportunities. 
They  are  offered  to  you, 


78  DESCRIPTION 

LESSON   39 

Write  a  description  of  a  place,  in  or  out  of  doors, 
that  to  your  mind  will  serve  as  a  fitting  scene  of 
action  for  a  story  whose  outline  is  as  follows :  —  A 
student,  about  to  go  away  on  a  vacation  trip,  his 
trunk  packed  and  his  ticket  bought,  receives  a  tele- 
gram, stating  that  the  house  of  a  friend  he  is  about 
to  visit  had  been  burned  to  the  ground  the  night 
before. 

Here  is  a  situation  quite  sufficient  to  cast  gloom 
over  even  a  careless  nature.  What  will  you  choose 
as  an  appropriate  place  for  the  student  to  hear  the 
bad  news  ?  Broadly  speaking,  you  may  choose 
among  three  kinds  of  scenes  :  one  that  is  as  gloomy  as 
the  situation ;  one  that  is  so  cheerful  as  to  be  a  com- 
plete contrast  to  the  thing  that  has  happened ;  and 
one  that  shows  how  little  an  individual  disappoint- 
ment concerns  people  in  general.  You  need  not  keep 
other  human  beings  out  of  your  description ;  you  need 
not  put  them  in.  You  may  describe  anything  from  a 
deserted  house  to  a  crowded  thoroughfare,  provided 
you  make  your  reader  feel  that  it  is  natural  for  the 
student  to  be  in  that  place  at  that  time.  If  you 
choose,  you  may  go  on  to  expand  the  story  in  your 
own  words,  but  all  that  is  required  of  you  is  the 
description  of  the  place.  A  description  of  place  has 
much  to  do  with  the  effectiveness  of  a  story,  since  it 
furnishes  a  background  to  the  action. 


DESCRIPTION  79 

s 

LESSON   40 

Prepare  an  oral  description  of  a  person  that  to 
your  mind  will  serve  as  a  fitting  character  for  a  story 
whose  outline  is  as  follows  :  —  A  man  wrongly  accused 
of  theft  is  in  hiding ;  he  waits  till  he  thinks  it  will 
be  safe  to  appear ;  he  suddenly  meets  his  accusers, 
and  his  confusion  is  taken  as  evidence  of  his  guilt. 

Now  then,  personal  appearance  —  that  is,  color  of 
hair  and  eyes  and  so  on  —  will  count  for  less  in  this 
description  than  a  characterization  of  the  person's 
nature.  Think  first  how  many  kinds  of  persons  might 
thus  be  wrongly  accused.  What  sort  of  person,  if 
accused,  would  try  to  escape  by  concealment  ?  What 
sort  of  person,  though  innocent,  would  have  the  ap- 
pearance of  guilt  ?  As  various  kinds  of  persons  come 
into  your  mind,  use  your  common  sense  to  tell  you 
whether  they  are  appropriate  subjects  for  this  de- 
scription. Do  not  be  too  hasty  in  assuming  the  person 
must  be  cowardly  by  nature.  Can  you  imagine  any 
reason  why  an  entirely  innocent,  generous-minded 
man  might  be  entangled  in  such  a  difficulty  ?  If, 
after  making  up  your  mind  as  to  the  character  of  the 
person,  you  feel  that  you  can  make  that  character 
stand  out  more  vividly  by  using  details  of  physical 
appearance,  do  so,  but  see  that  every  such  detail  as- 
sists in  bringing  out  character.  The  description 
should  not  occupy  more  than  two  minutes,  but  the 
teacher  may  also  require  you  to  complete  the  story. 


80  DESCRIPTION 

LESSON   41 

Write  a  story  involving  the  place  and  the  two 
persons  given  below,  expanding  the  description  oat- 
lined  :  — 

A  forest ;  much  underbrush ;  late  afternoon ;  approaching 
storm ;  an  old  gypsy  woman,  keen-eyed,  gray-haired,  restless, 
fringed  shawl,  bracelet;  a  girl,  fair-haired,  blue  eyes,  daintily 
dressed,  broken  parasol,  scratched  hand,  sprained  ankle. 

The  student  must  remember  that  merely  repeating 
these  descriptive  words  will  not  be  enough ;  the  ex- 
panded description  will  require  more  space  and  must 
be  made  up  of  complete  sentences. 

If  you  will  think  for  a  moment  of  the  situation 
here  indicated,  you  will  see  that  it  may  have  several 
outcomes.  Take  the  one  that  seems  to  you  to  follow 
naturally  from  the  character  of  the  two  persons  whom 
you  have  described.  In  other  words,  instead  of 
making  up  a  story  and  then  describing  characters  to 
suit  it,  describe  the  persons,  and  then  imagine  what 
such  persons  would  do. 

LESSON   42 

It  often  happens  that  you  can  describe  a  thing 
more  clearly  by  comparing  it  with  something  else: 
white  as  a  sheet,  ran  like  a  deer,  chattered  like  a  mag- 
pie, timid  as  a  mouse,  heavy  as  lead,  soft  as  down,  are 
examples  of  scores  of  comparisons  that  we  use  in  daily 


DESCRIPTION  81 

talk.  Some  of  these  expressions  are  used  so  often  as 
to  be  hackneyed,  but  that  only  means  that  they  sup- 
ply a  need.  Comparisons  like  the  above  are  called 
similes. 

In  your  own  writing,  whenever  you  find  that  a  de- 
scription will  be  made  clearer  by  a  simile,  use  it.  But 
you  should  be  warned  that  the  use  of  many  similes 
will  weaken  your  style  and  make  the  reader  feel  that 
there  is  something  far-fetched  about  your  writing. 

The  similes  given  above  are  introduced  by  like  or  as. 
Often  a  comparison  is  made  more  directly.  To  call  a 
person  a  mouse  or  a  magpie,  is  to  retain  the  spirit  of 
comparison  while  omitting  the  comparing  words. 
Such  direct  comparison  as  (He  is)  a  bear,  a  block  of 
wood,  a  shining  light,  a  tower  of  refuge,  are  termed 
metaphors. 

Similes  and  metaphors  are  closely  related  in  nature, 
as  is  apparent  from  the  fact  that  either  may  be 
changed  into  the  other  by  adding  or  dropping  the 
comparing  word.  Vivid  writing  is  largely  due  to 
these  two  methods  of  comparison. 

Find  comparisons, — either  similes  or  metaphors,— 
for  twelve  of  the  following,  making  a  complete  sen- 
tence of  each  answer  :  — 

1.  The  headlight  of  a  locomotive  a  mile  away. 

2.  The  headlight  of  a  locomotive,  a  hundred  yards  away, 
approaching  rapidly. 

3.  A  recently  fallen  forest  tree. 

4.  A  boy  swimming. 

8.  &  H.  KHIiT.  —  6 


82  DESCRIPTION 

5.  Pupils  leaving  school  at  noon. 

6.  A  flag  in  a  strong  breeze. 

7.  A  crowd  scattering  in  a  sudden  rainstorm. 

8.  A  high  school  girl  eating  candy. 

9.  A  man  reading  by  twilight. 

10.  Autumn  leaves  falling. 

11.  A  whip  cracking. 

12.  Too  many  people  in  a  small  room. 

13.  The  first  song  bird  in  spring. 

14.  A  fussy  purchaser. 

15.  A  boy  asleep  in  church. 

Some  of  the  examples  afford  more  than  one  point 
for  comparison,  —  appearance,  sound,  action,  for  in- 
stance. You  are  free  to  choose  for  comparison  the 
thing  that  impresses  you  most. 

LESSON    43 

Write  a  description  of  the  character  of  some  person 
you  know,  using  details  of  personal  appearance  where 
needed,  but,  in  the  main,  endeavoring  to  answer  the 
question,  "  What  sort  of  person  is  he  (she)  ?  "  If  any 
one  asked  you  that  question,  you  would  reply  by  telling 
of  the  person's  nature,  not  of  his  looks,  although  you 
would  mention  anything  in  his  looks  that  revealed 
his  nature.  Thus,  firm,  defiant  chin,  a  hard,  cruel 
mouth,  a  shifting  eye,  an  insignificant  nose,  are  details 
that  portray  character  quite  as  much  as  they  portray 
appearance.  In  other  words,  utilize  personal  appear- 
ance, in  this  theme,  only  to  interpret  character,  char- 
acter being  the  chief  thing  in  this  description. 


DESCRIPTION  83 

In  describing  character,  it  is  confusing  to  heap  up 
adjectives  even  though  they  may  be  apt.  You  will 
probably  get  no  clear  idea  of  a  person  who  is  described 
to  you  as  wise,  cautious,  generous,  simple-hearted, 
pleasant-mannered,  charitable,  persistent,  steady,  de- 
liberate, approachable,  sincere,  although  if  these  traits 
were  properly  grouped,  enlarged  upon,  and  illus- 
trated, every  one  of  the  adjectives  might  play  its 
part  in  giving  you  a  clear  impression  of  the  person. 
Suppose  you  make  a  list,  in  the  order  in  which  they 
occur  to  you,  of  the  traits  of  the  person  you  are  de- 
scribing. Try  to  determine  which  of  these  are  the 
most  characteristic  things,. —  the  things  that  best 
explain  the  person's  individuality.  Every  person  has 
one  or  more  predominating  traits  which  sway  his  con- 
duct. When  you  have  found  these  things,  you  can 
usually  explain  the  person's  nature,  and  can  deal  with 
the  other  traits,  giving  them  only  as  much  emphasis 
as  they  deserve. 

Very  often  you  will  be  able  to  recall  some  charac- 
teristic incident  in  the  person's  life.  Such  an  inci- 
dent, if  it  occurs  to  you,  may  come  at  the  end  of  your 
description,  enforcing  what  you  have  already  said,  or 
it  may  come  at  the  beginning,  introducing  the  charac- 
ter vividly. 

Try  to  be  entirely  fair,  not  giving,  through  partial- 
ity, too  flattering  a  description,  and  still  less  through 
prejudice,  a  characterization  that  is  sarcastic  and 
unjust.  In  short,  describe  the  person  with  as  much 


84  DESCRIPTION 

insight  and  sympathy  as  you  would  like  to  have  some 
one  else  use  in  describing  you. 

LESSON   44 

Write  single  sentences,  descriptive  of  fifteen  of  the 
following.  You  may  use  comparisons  of  any  kind,  or 
dispense  with  them  for  the  sake  of  directly  descriptive 
words. 

1.  An  untidy  bureau  drawer. 

2.  A  restive  horse,  hitched. 

3.  A  fire  engine  at  full  speed  in  a  busy  street. 

4.  A  corn  field  in  a  wind  storm. 

5.  Telegraph  poles  seen  from  an  express  train. 

6.  A  farmyard  after  a  heavy  snow,  early  morning. 

7.  A  passenger  train  at  night,  seen  from  the  outside. 

8.  A  girl  caught  in  the  rain  without  an  umbrella. 

9.  A  boy  trying  to  find  his  other  skate. 

10.  A  dog  barking  at  the  moon. 

11.  A  hungry  tramp. 

12.  A  tramp  just  after  a  hearty  meal. 

13.  A  tree  that  has  been  struck  by  lightning. 

14.  A  conceited  boy. 

15.  A  charitable  woman. 

16.  Rain  clouds. 

17.  A  tooth-ache. 

18.  A  worn-out  dictionary. 

LESSON   45 

Write  a  story  about  two  persons,  each  of  whom  you 
are  to  describe.  The  story  should  be  one  that  natur- 
ally grows  out  of  the  meeting  of  two  such  persons. 


DESCRIPTION  85 

First  of  all,  think  of  the  two  persons.  They  may  be 
alike  or  unlike.  Try  to  set  their  characters  and  appear- 
ance, as  far  as  it  may  be  necessary,  before  the  reader. 
Now  imagine  some  occasion  which  may  bring  these 
two  persons  together.  This  meeting  may  be  the  be- 
ginning or  the  end  of  your  story.  The  main  point  is 
t-6  have  your  characters  act  in  accordance  with  their 
natures  as  you  have  described  them.  If  you  choose, 
you  may  employ  dialogue.  Be  careful  at  every  point 
to  keep  these  persons  distinct  and  separate  in  the 
reader's  mind. 

LESSON   46 

Prepare  an  oral  description  involving  incident,  and 
using  as  beginning  and  end  either  of  the  following 
combinations :  — 

(a)  His  long,  curly,  uncut  hair,  his  slightly  foreign  accent, 
and  his  velvet  jacket,  indicated  that  he  was 


.  -  .There  was  much  good  in  the  fellow,  after  all. 
(6)    Sharp,  earnest  eyes,  quick  speech,  and  a  great  deal  of 
it,  nervously  moving  fingers,  were  some  of  the  characteristics 
of  this  woman,  who 


At  any  rate,  she  would  do  her  best. 


Try  to  present  as  vivid  an  idea  as  possible  of  the 
person's  character.     You  cannot  do  this  offhand;  you 


86  DESCRIPTION 

must  spend  some  time  in  thinking  about  characteris- 
tics in  keeping  with  the  points  already  mentioned, 
and  in  selecting  only  those  details  which  will  best 
convey  your  idea.  Having  imagined  your  person, 
think  of  a  characteristic  situation  in  which  he  or  she 
might  be  placed.  A  characteristic  situation,  by  the 
way,  is  merely  one  in  which  a  person's  character  is 
clearly  indicated.  In  making  up  your  incident,  try, 
as  hitherto,  to  have  the  happening  in  thorough  keep- 
ing with  the  character. 

If  your  story  needs  another  character,  you  might 
use  the  other  one  in  to-day's  lesson.  Time,  four 
minutes. 

LESSON   47 

Write  a  description  of  some  outdoor  sport.  Do 
not  explain  the  theory  of  the  game,  but  describe  what 
you  can  see.  Include  a  description  of  the  place,  and 
try  to  give  your  reader  some  sense  of  the  activity 
and  movement  of  the  scene.  The  reader  should  also 
be  told  something  of  the  appearance,  collectively,  of 
the  persons  taking  part  in  the  sport,  with  what  spirit 
they  entered  into  it,  and  whether  anything  interest- 
ing happened.  You  should  remember  that  if  an  ac- 
count of  anything  brisk  and  moving  is  written  with- 
out animation,  the  result  is  likely  to  be  very  tedious. 
Try  to  use  words  that  suggest  the  animated  sight 
that  you  have  witnessed. 


DESCRIPTION  87 

LESSON   48 

1.  Said.  3.   Walked.  5.    Lovely. 

2.  Boat.  4.   Large.  6.   Weapon. 

Some  general  expressions,  as  you  will  recall  from 
Lesson  33,  p.  70,  may  be  effectively  replaced  by  more 
exact  words.  For  the  word  house,  we  found  a  large 
number  of  synonyms.  So,  too,  we  found  various 
specific  words  which  may  be  used  instead  of  the  more 
general  terms,  pleasant  and  unpleasant.  In  this  les- 
son, take  each  word  given  above,  find  four  satisfactory 
words  that  may  be  substituted  for  it,  and  write  sen- 
tences (twenty-four  in  all)  illustrating  the  use  of  each 
substituted  word.  It  will  not  be  sufficient  merely  to 
use  the  word  grammatically,  but  to  show,  by  the  rest 
of  the  sentence,  that  your  chosen  word  is  needed. 
For  instance,  suppose  the  general  term  is  house. 
You  think  of  mansion,  palace,  and  cottage.  It  will 
not  prove  that  you  understand  the  difference  if  you 
write :  — 

The  man  lived  in  a  mansion. 

The  man  lived  in  a  palace. 

The  man  lived  in  a  cottage. 

It  would,  however,  show  your  understanding  of 
the  word^  if  you  were  to  write :  — 

In  the  center  of  his  ancestral  domain  stood  the  old  family 
mansion,  strong  enough  to  endure  for  many  a  generation  yet. 

Obeying  the  royal  summons,  he  mounted  his  steed  and 
spurred  toward  the  palace. 


88  DESCRIPTION 

Tourists  came  in  increasing  numbers  to  see  the  lowly  cot- 
tage where  the  great  poet  was  born. 

You  may  make  your  sentences  long  or  short ;  the 
point  is  to  have  them  appropriate. 

LESSON    49 

First  read  carefully  the  following  outline  of  a  story 
and  make  sure  that  you  understand  the  situation 
exactly :  — 

The  scene  was  a  crowded  railway  station.  It  was  train  time, 
and  the  train  was  approaching.  As  all  the  people  tried  to  leave 
the  waiting  room  at  once,  one  person  was  accidentally  jostled 
by  another,  and  dropped  a  parcel,  which  the  second  person 
immediately  picked  up  and  returned  with  a  polite  word  of 
apology.  The  first  person  took  back  the  parcel  without 
acknowledgment,  noticed  that  the  paper  wrapping  was 
slightly  soiled,  and  muttered,  "  I  might  have  known  that 
something  unlucky  would  happen  to  me." 

Write  a  description  of  the  character  of  the  person 
who,  in  your  opinion,  would  be  likely  to  make  the 
above  remark.  Do  not  tell  the  story  over  again,  but 
confine  yourself  to  characterizing  the  speaker.  Think 
of  the  kinds  of  persons  who  might  say  a  thing  like 
that,  and  describe  the  one  who  would  be  most  likely 
to  say  such  things  habitually.  For  instance,  is  the 
speaker  a  man  or  a  woman,  old  or  young  ?  If  you 
think  that  details  of  physical  appearance  will  help 
your  description,  use  them,  but  be  very  sure  that  they 
really  help. 


DESCRIPTION  89 


LESSON   50 

Head  the  following  incidents,  as  in  the  preceding 
lesson,  and  come  to  a  conclusion  regarding  the  char- 
acters in  each  one.  Prepare  oral  characterizations  of 
all  persons  who  have  any  part  in  either  incident. 

a.  A  man,  purchasing  a  newpaper,  gave  the  newsboy  a  coin 
saying,  "  Here  is  a  nickel,"  and  looked  at  the  headlines  of  the 
paper  while  the  boy  made  the  proper  change. 

After  a  moment,  the  man  said,  "Well,  what  is  the  matter? 
Haven't  you  three  coppers  ?  " 

The  boy  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  answered,  "  You  gave 
me  a  quarter  instead  of  a  nickel." 

"  Oh  !  Did  I  ?  "  replied  the  man,  looking  at  the  boy  for  the 
first  time.  "  Well,  keep  it  for  your  honesty." 

b.  Two  school  girls,  Emily  and  Grace,  who  had  promised 
friendship  to  each  other,  were  alone  together  in  the  school- 
room.    Emily  inquisitively  opened  the  teacher's  desk,  and,  in 
so  doing,  accidentally  spilled  a  bottle  of  ink  in  it.     The  next 
day,  the  teacher  called  up  the  two  girls  and  said,  "  One  of  you  is 
guilty  of  meddling  with  other  people's  private  property.    When 
I  left  the  room  yesterday  afternoon,  only  you  two  girls  were 
here.     When  I  returned,  immediately  after  you  had  gone,  I 
found  that  my  desk  had  been  opened.     One  of  you  must  have 
done  it.     Emily,  was  it  you  ?  " 

"No,"  answered  Emily,  promptly. 

"Then,  Grace,  it  was  you." 

Grace  said  nothing,  but  looked  at  Emily,  who  looked  away 
and  did  not  speak. 

"  If  you  do  not  reply,  Grace,  I  must  report  you  to  the 
principal." 

But  there  was  no  reply. 


90  DESCRIPTION 

LESSON   51 

Write  a  description  of  whatever  you  please.  As  in 
the  closing  lesson  in  narration,  you  were  free  to  make 
up  a  story,  so  now  write  a  description  to  suit  yourself, 
choosing  your  own  subject  and  treating  it  in  your 
own  way. 

LESSON   52 

The  elements  of  good  description  are  not  so  easy 
to  state  as  are  the  elements  of  good  narration,  because 
description  is  less  definite.  The  chief  purpose  of  de- 
scription is  to  convey  the  describer's  impression  of 
the  thing  described.  Sometimes  a  single  word  may 
do  this ;  sometimes  hundreds  of  words  fail  to  produce 
the  desired  effect.  To  use  fitting  words,  to  omit  irrele- 
vant things,  to  show  a  sense  of  proportion,  to  empha- 
size characteristic  features,  to  be  suggestive  rather 
than  exhaustive,  —  these  are  points  that  should  be 
kept  in  mind  by  the  student  who  seeks  to  describe 
well. 

Study  the  following  descriptions,  and  see  whether 
the  preceding  points  are  illustrated  :  — 

Ours  is  a  great  wild  country : 

If  you  climb  to  our  castle's  top, 

I  don't  see  where  your  eye  can  stop ; 

For  when  you've  passed  the  cornfield  country, 

Where  vineyards  leave  off,  flocks  are  packed, 

And  sheep  range  leads  to  cattle  tract, 


DESCRIPTION  9] 

And  cattle  tract  to  open  chase, 
And  open  chase  to  the  very  base 
0'  the  mountain  where,  at  a  funeral  pace, 
Round  about,  solemn  and  slow, 
One  by  one,  row  after  row, 
Up  and  up  the  pine  trees  go, 
So,  like  black  priests  up,  and  so 
Down  the  other  side  again 
To  another  greater,  wilder  country, 
That's  one  vast  red  drear  burnt-up  plain, 
Branched  through  and  through  with  many  a  vein, 
Whence  iron's  dug,  and  copper's  dealt ; 
Look  right,  look  left,  look  straight  before, — 
Beneath  they  mine,  above  they  smelt, 
Copper  ore  and  iron  ore, 
And  forge  and  furnace  mold  and  melt, 
And  so  on,  more  and  ever  more, 
Till  at  the  last,  for  a  bounding  belt, 
Comes  the  salt  sand  hoar  of  the  great  seashore, 
—  And  the  whole  is  our  Duke's  country. 

—  BROWNING,  The  Flight  of  the  Duchess. 

The  tortuous  wall  —  girdle,  long  since  snapped,  of  a  little 
swollen  city  [Chester],  half  held  in  place  by  careful  civic 
hands  —  wanders,  in  narrow  file,  between  parapets  smoothed  by 
peaceful  generations,  pausing  here  and  there  for  a  dismantled 
gate  or  a  bridged  gap,  with  rises  and  drops,  steps  up  and  steps 
down,  queer  twists,  queer  contacts,  peeps  into  homely  streets 
and  under  the  brows  of  gables,  views  of  cathedral  tower  and 
waterside  fields,  of  huddled  English  town  and  ordered  English 
country.  — HENRY  JAMES,  The  Ambassadors.1 

The  trail  dropped  down  the  cliff  below  us  in  long,  swinging 
zigzags,  and  wound   lazily  through  the  village;    crossed   the 
stream  at  the  ford ;  dipped  off  toward  the  sea,  as  though  the 
1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Harper  &  Brothers. 


92  DESCRIPTION 

beach,  shining  like  coarse  gold,  were  a  trifle  too  lovely  to  be 
passed  without  recognition,  and  then  it  climbed  laboriously  up 
the  opposite  cliff,  and  struck  off  into  space. 

—  C.  W.  STODDARD,  South  Sea  Idyls.1 

'Twas  summer,  and  the  sun  had  mounted  high : 
Southward  the  landscape  indistinctly  glared 
Through  a  pale  steam ;  but  all  the  northern  downs, 
In  clearest  air  ascending,  showed  far  off 
A  surface  dappled  o'er  with  shadows  flung 
From  brooding  clouds ;  shadows  that  lay  in  spots 
Determined  and  unmoved,  with  steady  beams 
Of  bright  and  pleasant  sunshine  interposed. 

—WORDSWORTH,  The  Excursion. 

The  room  in  which  I  found  myself  was  very  large  and  lofty. 
The  windows  were  long,  narrow,  and  pointed,  and  at  so  vast  a 
distance  from  the  black  oaken  floor  as  to  be  altogether  inacces- 
sible from  within.  Feeble  gleams  of  encrimsoned  light  made 
their  way  through  the  trellised  panes,  and  served  to  render 
sufficiently  distinct  the  more  prominent  objects  around;  the 
eye,  however,  struggled  in  vain  to  reach  the  remoter  angles  of 
the  chamber,  or  the  recesses  of  the  vaulted  and  fretted  ceiling. 
Dark  draperies  hung  upon  the  walls.  The  general  furniture 
was  profuse,  comfortless,  antique,  and  tattered.  Many  books 
arid  musical  instruments  lay  scattered  about,  but  failed  to  give 
any  vitality  to  the  scene.  I  felt  that  I  breathed  an  atmos- 
pbere  of  sorrow.  An  air  of  stern,  deep,  and  irredeemable 
gloom  hung  over  and  pervaded  all. 

—  EDGAR  ALLAN  POE,  The  Fall  of  the  House  of  Usher. 

Long  lines  of  cliff  breaking  have  left  a  chasm  ; 
And  in  the  chasm  are  foam  and  yellow  sands; 
Beyond,  red  roofs  about  a  narrow  wharf 
In  cluster;  then  a  moldered  church ;  and  higher 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Charles  Scribners'  Sons. 


DESCRIPTION  93 

A  long  street  climbs  to  one  tall-towered  mill ; 
And  high  in  heaven  behind  it  a  gray  down 
With  Danish  barrows;  and  a  hazel  wood, 
By  autumn  nutters  haunted,  flourishes 
Green  in  a  cuplike  hollow  of  the  down. 

-TENNYSON,  Enoch  Arden. 

The  good  man  [Coleridge],  he  was  now  getting  old,  to- 
ward sixty  perhaps;  and  gave  you  the  idea  of  a  life  that 
had  been  full  of  sufferings  ;  a  life  heavy  laden,  half  vanquished, 
still  swimming  painfully  in  seas  of  manifold  physical  and 
other  bewilderment.  Brow  and  head  were  round,  and  of  mas- 
sive weight,  but  the  face  was  flabby  and  irresolute.  The  deep 
eyes,  of  a  light  hazel,  were  as  full  of  sorrow  as  of  inspiration ; 
confused  pain  looked  mildly  from  them,  as  in  a  kind  of  mild 
astonishment.  -The  whole  figure  and  air,  good  and  amiable 
otherwise,  might  be  called  flabby  and  irresolute ;  expressive  of 
weakness  under  possibility  of  strength. 

—  CARLYLE,  Life  of  Sterling. 

Along  the  road  walked  an  old  man.  He  was  white-headed 
as  a  mountain,  bowed  in  the  shoulders,  and  faded  in  gen- 
eral aspect.  He  wore  a  glazed  hat,  an  ancient  boat-cloak, 
and  shoes  ;  his  brass  buttons  bearing  an  anchor  upon  their  face. 
In  his  hand  was  a  silver-headed  walking-stick,  which  he  used 
as  a  veritable  third  leg,  perseveringly  dotting  the  ground  with 
its  point  at  every  few  inches'  interval.  One  would  have  said 
that  he  had  been  in  his  day  a  naval  officer  of  some  sort  or 

—  HARDY,  The  Return  of  the  Native.1 

Anne  was  fair,  very  fair,  in  a  poetical  sense ;  but  in  com- 
plexion she  was  of  that  particular  tint  between  blonde  and 
brunette  which  is  inconveniently  left  without  a  name.  Her 
eyes  were  honest  and  inquiring,  her  mouth  cleanly  cut  and  yet 
not  classical,  the  middle  point  of  her  upper  lip  scarcely  de- 
1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Harper  &  Brothers. 


94  DESCRIPTION 

scending  so  far  as  it  should  have  done  by  rights,  so  that  at  the 
merest  pleasant  thought,  not  to  mention  a  smile,  portions  of 
two  or  three  white  teeth  were  uncovered  whether  she  would 
or  not.  Some  people  said  that  this  was  very  attractive.  She 
was  graceful  and  slender,  and,  though  but  little  above  five  feet 
in  height,  could  draw  herself  up  to  look  tall. 

—  HARDY,  The  Trumpet  Major.1 

"What  sort  of  fellow,"  demanded  Philip,  "is  this  new 
boy  that's  going  to  enter  the  high  school  ?  Jones,  you  say,  his 
name  is  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Lewis.     "  Jones  is  a  mighty  good  fellow." 

"Tell  me  something  about  him,"  asked  Philip.  "What 
does  he  look  like?" 

"  Why,  —  "  Lewis  hesitated,  —  "  just  like  anybody  else." 

Philip  smiled.  "That  doesn't  give  me  a  very  clear  idea  of 
him,  I  must  say  Can't  you  describe  him  ?  " 

"  Well,"  responded  Lewis,  "  he  is  pretty  large  for  his  age, 
his  father  is  a  lawyer,  and  he  has  two  brothers,  both  of  them 
younger  than  he  is  — " 

"  O,  look  here  ! "  interrupted  Philip.  "  How  old  is  he  ?  Is 
he  tall  or  fat  ?  What's  the  color  of  his  eyes  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Lewis. 

"  Is  he  light  or  dark  ?  "  Philip  persisted. 

"Dark,  of  course,"  rejoined  Lewis.  "  He's  fifteen,  I  think. 
He'll  be  a  six-footer,  —  broad-shouldered,  too ;  rather  a  thin 
face ;  serious-looking ;  but  good-natured  —  the  kind  that  gets 
on  well  with  everybody." 

"  Does  he  play  ball  ?  "  questioned  Philip. 

"  Outfield,"  returned  Lewis.  "  But  he  goes  in  for  track 
sports  more  than  baseball.  He  won  the  quarter  mile  in  an 
inter-scholastic  meet.  You  ought  to  have  seen  the  race.  He 
ran  with  lots  of  judgment,  and  his  spurt  at  the  end  showed 
that  he  has  lots  of  nerve." 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Harper  &  Brothers. 


DESCRIPTION  95 

"Some  of  these  athletes  act  pretty  important,"  suggested 
Philip ;  "  he'll  be  trying  to  run  the  school." 

"  You  don't  know  Jones,"  declared  Lewis.  "  That's  not  the 
kind  of  fellow  he  is.  He's  quiet,  he  never  talks  about  himself, 
and  I  knew  him  for  several  months  before  he  showed  me  the 
medals  he  had  won.  He  was  out  of  school  one  year,  helping  to 
earn  money  when  his  father  was  sick." 

"  The  fellow  that  will  do  that,"  observed  Philip,  "  will  be 
all  right  here.  I  suppose  that  he  is  a  good  student?" 

"  He  told  me  that  he  always  tried  to  make  good  grades, " 
explained  Lewis,  "  but  that  there  were  always  three  or  four 
just  in  front  of  him." 

"What  studies  does  he  like  best?"  continued  Philip. 

"  You  know  as  well  as  I  do,"  was  the  answer.  u  What 
would  you  say  ?  " 

Philip  thought  a  moment.     "  I  give  it  up,"  he  remarked. 


LETTER-WRITING 

LESSON  53 

Perhaps  ninety-nine  hundredths  of  the  writing 
you  will  be  called  upon  to  do  will  be  letter-writing. 
Letter-writing,  however,  does  not  constitute  a  dis- 
tinct form  of  discourse,  like  narration  or  description, 
but  is  rather  a  combination  of  all  the  forms  of  dis- 
course, modified  to  suit  the  needs  of  the  writer  and  of 
the  recipient  of  the  letter.  Thus  in  letters  one  may 
recount  an  experience  (narration),  describe  a  person, 
place,-  or  thing  (description"*,  explain  some  matter 
(exposition),  or  give  reasons  why  something  should 
be  done  (argumentation).  The  fact  that  you  are 
writing  to  a  definite  individual  affects,  of  course,  the 
way  in  which  you  will  tell  about  the  thing  you  have 
in  mind ;  you  accommodate  your  material  to  suit 
your  reader's  personality,  and,  when  the  relationship 
between  you  and  your  reader  is  a  friendly  one,  you 
naturally  put  into  the  letter  a  good  deal  of  your  own 
personality. 

Letter- writ  ing  is,  therefore,  as  a  rule,  a  much  more 
personal  kind  of  writing  than  are  those  compositions 
which  are  addressed  to  a  large  and  varied  audience. 
In  telling  a  story  to  such  an  audience,  for  instance, 
you  must  consider  whether  you  can  suit  many  tastes ; 

96 


LETTE  U-  VV  KITING  97 

but  in  telling  a  story  in  a  letter,  there  are  but  two 
tastes  to  be  suited,  jour  hearer's  and  your  own.  Yet 
since  a  story  is  a  story,  it  is  subject  to  the  laws  of 
narration  and  an  ability  to  apply  the  principles  of 
narration  —  and  this  is  true  of  the  other  forms  as 
well  —  is  essential  to  good  letter-writing. 

There  are  certain  regular  and  accepted  ways  of 
beginning  and  of  ending  a  letter,  certain  usages  in 
matter  of  paper,  envelopes,  ink,  etc.,  which  are  im- 
portant to  know  and  to  follow,  just  as  it  is  important 
to  be  acquainted  with  the  usages  of  refined  people 
and  with  other  matters  of  courtesy.  People  are  con- 
stantly judged  by  the  letters  they  write,  and  care  in 
letter-writing  brings  its  own  reward.  The  familiar 
ways  of  beginning  and  concluding  will  be  found  in 
the  Notes,  pp.  223,  224 ;  we  shall  concern  ourselves 
here  chiefly  with  the  body  of  the  letter. 

Write  a  letter  to  some  friend  of  about  your  own  age, 
telling  what  you  intend  to  do  next  summer.  Try  to 
tell  of  your  plans  in  such  a  way  as  to  interest  your 
friend.  What  things  are  likely  to  be  interesting  to 
him  ?  Regarding  the  things  that  interest  you  and 
not  your  friend,  is  it  possible  to  make  them  interest- 
ing through  your  manner  of  telling  about  them  ? 
Give  your  friend  some  news  about  the  people  in 
whom  he  may  be  interested.  Correspondence  is  a 
sort  of  conversation  between  people.  Are  there  any 
questions  you  should  like  to  ask  him  ?  What  should 

8.   &  H.   RHET.  — 7 


98  LETTER-WRITING 

you  tell  your  friend  if  you  met  him  ?  Do  not  fear 
that  a  thing  which  interests  you  will  be  too  unimpor- 
tant to  write  about.  Anything  that  is  told  pleasantly 
is  likely  to  give  pleasure  to  your  reader ;  he  will  not 
like  your  letter  the  less  because  it  sounds  like  you. 

At  the  top  of  your  page  in  the  right-hand  corner 
give  the  place  and  date  of  writing,  thus :  - 

Lexington,  Virginia, 

April  14,  1907. 

Begin  your  letter  Dear  John,  or  whatever  your 
friend's  name  is,  and  end  in  some  such  friendly  way 
as  Your  affectionate  cousin,  Your  old  schoolmate, 
Your  friend,  Yours  affectionately,  and  then  sign  your 
name. 

NOTE.  —  At  the  teacher's  option  any  or  all  of  the  exercises 
in  tliis  chapter  may  be  written  upon  appropriate  letter  paper 
instead  of  upon  the  paper  used  by  the  class  for  themes. 

LESSON   54 

Study  the  forms  given  in  the  Notes,  pp.  223,  224. 
A  few  words  of  explanation  may  be  of  service.  On 
the  one  hand,  there  are  not  many  forms  that  are  ab- 
solutely fixed  ;  on  the  other  hand,  there  are  certain 
forms  that  seem  to  be  generally  acceptable.  Within 
these  forms  there  is  enough  latitude  to  make  it  un- 
necessary for  you  to  seek  to  invent  ways  of  your  own. 
Let  us  take  up  the  points  in  order. 


LETTER-WRITING  99 

The  established  way  of  giving  place  and  date  is  to 
put  them  in  the  upper  right-hand  corner  of  your  first 
page.  Some  persons  prefer  to  put  place  or  date,  or 
both,  at  the  end,  at  the  left-hand  side  of  the  paper,  a 
little  below  the  writer's  final  signature.  This  has  no 
advantage  over  the  other  plan,  and  has  the  disadvan- 
tage of  not  letting  the  reader  see  the  place  and  date  as 
soon  as  he  opens  his  letter.  Usually  it  is  well  to  give 
the  state,  although  in  the  case  of  great  cities  like  New 
York,  Chicago,  Philadelphia,  the  name  of  the  state  is 
quite  unnecessary. 

Whether  the  place  and  date  should  occupy  one  or 
more  lines  is  entirely  a  question  of  taste.  Either  way 
is  right.  Obviously,  if  the  name  of  the  place  is  a 
very  long  one,  like  San  Luis  Obispo,  California,  it  will 
look  better  not  to  have  that  and  the  date  in  one 
line  unless  you  write  a  very  small  hand.  Troy,  New 
York,  however,  easily  leaves  room  for  the  date  on  the 
same  line.  The  usual  custom  is  to  use  one  line  in 
business  letters,  two  or  more  in  friendly  letters. 

Abbreviation  of  the  name  of  the  state,  practically 
universal  in  business,  is  less  desirable  in  other  letters. 
Within  the  line,  a  comma  should  come  between  the 
names  of  the  town  and  the  state,  and  between 
numerals  of  the  day  arid  year  when  these  are  next  to 
each  other.  Punctuation  at  the  end  of  lines  is  quite 
unnecessary,  but  many  persons  still  adhere  to  it. 

The  year  should  invariably  be  mentioned  in  busi- 
ness letters ;  in  friendly  letters  it  is  often  omitted, 


100  LETTER-WRITING 

although  it  should  always  be  given  in  letters  of  im- 
portance. In  short  notes,  the  day  of  the  week  some- 
times replaces  the  day  of  the  month,  or  occasionally 
the  name  of  the  month  is  omitted,  —as,  Wednesday, 
the  nineteenth.  You  will  be  quite  within  good 
taste,  however,  if  you  always  give  day,  month,  and 
year.  In  formal  invitations,  as  to  weddings,  for  ex- 
ample, the  day  of  the  month  and  the  year  are  usually 
spelled  out  in  full,  as,  February  fourth,  Nineteen  hun- 
dred and  seven.  One  thoiix<in<I  nine  hundred  and 
seven,  however,  is  not  a  good  form.  In  friendly 
notes,  the  practice  of  using  words,  instead  of  figures, 
for  the  year,  sometimes  obtains,  but  it  is  not  especially 
to  be  commended,  and  is  rarely  used  by  men. 

Your  salutation  varies,  of  course,  with  the  person 
to  whom  the  letter  is  addressed.  In  formal  letters, 
business  and  otherwise,  the  name  of  the  person  should 
occupy  one  line,  the  address  the  next,  and  the  saluta- 
tion proper  the  third  line.  Here,  again,  punctuation 
at  the  end  of  the  lines  is  quite  unnecessary,  but  is 
rather  regularly  used.  Often  in  formal  letters,  rarely 
in  business  letters,  however,  the  name  and  the  address 
of  the  recipient  are  placed  at  the  left  hand  of  the 
page,  a  little  below  the  writer's  final  signature.  This 
custom  is  growing. 

Following  the  name  and  address  in  formal  and 
business  letters  addressed  to  a  man,  Dear  Sir  is 
regular.  In  similar  letters  addressed  to  a  woman, 
Dear  Madam  is  used.  The  latter  seems  to  apply 


LETTER-WUlTm,  '  'lOl 

only  to  married  women,  but  inasmuch  as  there  is  no 
corresponding  isolated  title  for  unmarried  women, 
Dear  Madam  may  be  used  here  too.  It  is  not  in- 
frequent, however,  in  writing  to  an  unmarried  woman, 
to  use  the  less  formal  device  of  repeating  the  name, 
as  My  dear  Miss  Smith. 

Letters  addressed  to  a  firm  use  either  Dear  Sirs  or 
Gentlemen,  the  former  being  preferable,  the  latter, 
however,  growing  in  use. 

In  friendly  or  informal  letters,  use  one  of  the  forms 
given  in  the  Notes.  In  America,  Dear  Mr.  Robinson 
is  at  present  less  formal  than  My  dear  Mr.  Robin- 
son. The  punctuation  following  the  salutation  varies 
from  the  formal  colon  and  dash  to  the  informal 
comma  ;  the  semicolon  is  never  used  in  the  saluta- 
tion. Punctuation  is  not  really  needed  here,  or  in 
the  conclusion,  but  is  generally  used.  In  the  con- 
clusion, the  character  of  the  letter  determines  the 
form.  Yours  truly  is  reserved  entirely  for  business ; 
Yours  cordially*  for  example,  entirely  for  personal 
letters ;  Yours  respectfully  is  used  in  letters  addressed 
to  some  one  in  authority ;  while  Yours  very  truly 
serves  for  all  cases  except  for  the  most  formal  and  for 
the  most  informal  of  letters. 

A  woman  writing  a  letter  to  a  person  to  whom  she 
is  unknown  should  indicate  how  she  is  to  be  addressed, 
whether  Miss  or  Mrs.  In  the  former  case,  (Miss)  in 
parenthesis  before  the  name  is  sufficient ;  in  the  latter 
case,  it  is  better  to  write  her  married  name  on  the 


•*e      •    *      '.  c          *         > 

2  *,ETT.KR-WRITING 


left-hand  side  of  the  page,  a  little  below  the  signature, 

thus  :  - 

Yours  very  truly, 

Alice  Elliott  Smith. 
Address  : 

Mrs.  John  Smith. 

The  writer's  signature  should  be  especially  legible. 
It  may  be  followed  by  an  explanatory  title,  as  - 

Yours  very  truly, 

Alice  E.  Smith, 

Secretary. 

It  should  never,  however,  be  followed  by  the  town 
or  street  address.  If  the  necessary  address  has  not 
already  been  given  at  the  beginning,  it  should  come 
at  the  left  of  the  page,  a  little  below  the  signature, 

thus  :  - 

Yours  very  truly, 

Alice  E.  Smith. 
Mrs.  John  Smith, 

305  Walnut  street, 
Wichita, 

Kansas. 


LESSON   55 

Write  a  letter  to  a  member  of  your  family,  telling 
of  some  incident  in  your  school  life.  If  you  can 
think  of  some  interesting  or  amusing  thing  that  has 


LETTER-  WRITING  103 

recently  happened,  tell  about  that ;  if  you  cannot,  tell 
of  your  daily  programme,  and  in  either  case,  do  not 
confine  yourself  to  a  mere  outline  of  facts,  but  give 
enough  details  to  make  your  letter  intelligible  and  in- 
teresting to  a  person  not  previously  acquainted  with 
the  facts. 

As  you  read  what  you  have  written,  does  it  seem 
to  you  narration  or  description,  or  a  mingling  of  the 
two  ?  Have  you  taken  care  to  make  it  good  narra- 
tion or  good  description?  Use  as  much  care  as  if 
you  were  writing  to  a  stranger.  This  does  not  mean, 
use  as  much  formality  as  to  a  stranger ;  but  it  means, 
when  writing  to  your  own  family,  do  your  best  to 
please  them.  Very  many  of  your  letters  in  after 
life  will  be  addressed  to  your  relatives,  who  will  be 
in  the  main  your  most  sympathetic  arid  responsive 
readers. 

Begin  your  letter  Dear  Father,  Dear  Sister,  for 
example,  or  use,  if  you  like,  even  more  intimate 
words,  and  end  with  some  such  kindly  expression  as, 
Your  affectionate  son,  Your  loving  brother,  With  much 
love,  Your  affectionate  daughter. 

LESSON   56 

In  each  of  the  following  instances  determine  the 
several  permissible  forms  of  place  and  date,  salutation 
and  conclusion.  Then  bring  to  the  class,  in  writing, 
the  correct  place,  date,  salutation,  and  conclusion  for 


104  LETTER-WRITING 

each  of  the  following  letters.    Write  one  of  the  letters 
in  full. 

1.  Acknowledging  a  birthday  present. 

2.  Asking  for  a  dress  pattern. 

3.  Describing  a  picnic. 

4.  Returning  a  borrowed  book. 

5.  Accepting  an  invitation  to  make  a  visit. 

In  the  address,  both  in  the  letter  and  on  the  envel- 
ope, care  should  be  "exercised  in  the  matter  of  titles. 
John  Smith,  Esq.,  is  somewhat  more  formal  than  Mr. 
John  Smith,  and  is  a  usage  that,  however  unneces- 
sary, is  growing  in  favor.  In  addressing  clergymen, 
Rev.  John  Smith,  and  The  Rev.  John  Smith,  are  cor- 
rect. Rev.  Smith  is  incorrect ;  but  in  case  you  do  not 
know  the  man's  given  name,  you  may  say,  Rev.  Mr. 
Smith  or  The  Rev.  Mr.  Smith.  John  Smith,  J/./A, 
and  Dr.  John  Smith  are  correct.  Dr.  John  Smith, 
M.D.,  is  wrong.  The  usual  way  to  address  men  hold- 
ing public  office  is  to  place  Hon.  or  The  Hon.  before 
the  first  name,  omitting  Mr.,  Esq.,  Dr.,  and  so  forth. 
People  who  in  conversation  are  addressed  by  a  title 
usually  receive  the  title  in  written  communications. 
This,  of  course,  does  not  apply  when  the  title  is  a 
mere  nickname.  In  addressing  a  married  woman,  say 
Mrs.  John  Smith  rather  than  Mrs.  Mary  Smith. 

Doctor  is  almost  invariably  abbreviated,  as  Dr., 
President  and  Professor  often  as  Pres.  and  Prof., 
although  the  last  two  abbreviations  are  not  in 
very  good  usage.  General,  Colonel,  Major,  Captain, 


LETTER-WRITING  105 

have  their  usual  abbreviations,  —  Gen.,  CoL,  Maj., 
and  Capt.  A  correct  formal  abbreviation  is  to  write 
the  last  letter  above  the  line  with  a  short  dash  under 
it,  thus:  Presf-,  Prof1-,  Sec*,  D'-,  M '.  Likewise, 
M-.  is  in  excellent  usage. 

Study  all  of  the  above  forms  carefully. 


LESSON   57 

Write  a  letter  to  a  friend,  about  a  book  recently 
read,  explaining  what  you  like  about  it.  Should  you 
advise  his  reading  it?  If  you  think  that  he  may 
have  read  it,  do  you  think  that  he  likes  it?  You 
may  assume  that  he  will  be  interested  in  your  opin- 
ions. Say  what  you  really  think  of  the  book,  and 
use  your  good  judgment  with  modesty  and  simplicity. 
You  need  not  tell  the  story  of  the  book,  if  there  is  a 
story,  but  tell  how  it  impressed  you.  You  may  as- 
sume, also,  that  your  friend  will  be  interested  in 
hearing  little  pieces  of  information  concerning  you 
and  your  doings.  Address  and  conclude  your  letter 
appropriately. 

LESSON   58 

No 'specific  directions  can  be  given  for  the  arrange- 
ment of  material  in  an  informal  letter.  The  very  word 
informal  means  that  a  definite  order  is  not  required. 
One's  only  guides  are  common  sense,  courtesy,  and 


106  LETTER-WRITING 

sense  of  proportion.  It  is  entirely  proper,  for  in- 
stance, to  show  that  your  friend's  affairs  concern  you 
as  much  as  do  your  own,  and  this  usually,  but  by  no 
means  invariably,  would  lead  you  to  speak  of  your 
friend's  affairs  before  speaking  of  your  own.  Inquir- 
ies he  may  have  addressed  to  you  may  very  naturally 
be  answered  before  you  begin  to  tell  of  your  own 
doings.  But  your  friend  will  not  care  in  what  part 
of  the  letter  your  answers  are  placed,  provided  the 
answers  are  given.  If  his  inquiries  are  at  all  urgent, 
however,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  your  answers 
should  come  first. 

While  letter-writing  is  still  a  new  thing  to  you,  it 
is  often  well  to  put  down  on  a  slip  of  paper  the  several 
things  that  you  intend  to  speak  about,  and  then  try 
to  determine  their  order.  This  may  avert  abruptness 
and  give  your  letter  a  sense  of  continuity,  besides  in- 
suring that  you  will  not  forget  to  write  of  all  the 
things  you  wish  to.  Letters  should  be  answered 
promptly,  but  promptness  cannot  be  rigidly  defined. 
Promptness  in  answering  a  friendly  letter  might  be 
unpardonable  slowness  in  answering  a  business  letter. 
Perhaps  the  only  rule  that  can  be  given  here  is  to 
answer  formal  and  business  letters  at  once,  and  to 
answer  friendly  letters  when  you  think  that  the 
answer  will  be  most  acceptable. 

Prepare  to  write  in  class  any  one  of  the  four  fol- 
lowing letters,  arranging  the  itenis  in  the  order  that 
seems  best,  and  using  appropriate  salutations,  etc. 


LETTER-WRITING  107 

A  letter :  — 

1.  To  a  friend  — 

recovery  from  illness 

news  of  school 

friend's  birthday 

proposed  journey  to  regain  strength 

small  gift  to  friend 

2.  To  a  stranger  — 

recently  arrived  in  town 

important  baseball  game  with  boys  of  neighboring  town 

inviting  stranger  to  play  on  your  team 

letter  regarding  stranger  from  one  of  your  friends 

one  of  your  team  ill 

stranger  a  good  player 

3.  To  a  friend  - 

two  novels  recently  read 

photograph  taken 

friend  returned  from  long  journey 

third  novel  re-read 

photograph  sent 

friend  not  in  good  health 

4.  To  an  acquaintance  — 

(  fond  of  playing  piano 

arrangement  of  programme  intrusted  to  you 
acquaintance's  playing  always  excellent 
money  needed  for  church  purposes 
a  good  audience  assured 
an  entertainment  to  be  given 

The  teacher  may  require  you  to  write  any  one  of 
these  before  you  come  to  class. 


108  LETTER-WRITING 

LESSON    59 

Write  a  letter  to  a  friend  in  some  other  town,  tell- 
ing about  one  of  your  friends  here  who  expects  to  go 
to  that  town,  and  trying  to  give  the  former  person  a 
clear  idea  of  the  latter.  You  may  describe  character 
as  you  did  in  Lesson  43,  p.  82.  The  letter  may  be 
enlivened  by  a  personal  anecdote  or  two,  illustrating 
your  description.  Do  you  wish  the  two  people  to 
know  each  other  ?  Are  tbey  likely  to  be  interested 
in  each  other?  Can  you  say  anything  that  will 
make  them  surer  to  meet  upon  good  terms  ?  What 
have  they  in  common?  Are  there  subjects  of  con- 
versation that  it  would  be  well  for  them  to  avoid  ? 
In  short,  try  to  make  your  letter  serve  as  a  fair- 
minded,  friendly,  and  entertaining  introduction. 

LESSON    60 

Prepare  outline  letter's,  addressed  to  each  of  the 
following  persons.  Each  letter  should  have  the  proper 
beginning  and  ending,  and  should  mention  three 
points  that  might  be  appropriately  treated. 

1.  To  a  friend  of  your  own  age  living  in  another  town. 

2.  To  a  friend  traveling  in  Europe. 

3.  To  a  friend  of  your  parents. 

4.  To  a  former  teacher. 

5.  To  the  editor  of  the  paper  you  read. 

6.  To  a  physician. 


LETTER-WRITING  1 09 

You  may  be  asked  to  write  out  any  one  of  these  in 
the  class,  and,  at  the  teacher's  option,  you  may  bring 
to  the  class  a  letter  written  at  home. 

This  is  what  is  meant  by  an  outline  letter :  - 

a.  Place  and  date. 

b.  Salutation. 

c.  Naming  the  three  points  you  are  going  to  speak  of. 

d.  Conclusion. 

e.  Signature. 

LESSON   61 

Write  a  letter  to  some  acquaintance  of  yours,  an 
older  person,  in  whose  judgment  you  have  confidence, 
asking  for  advice  in  the  matter  of  your  future  occu- 
pation. Tell  him  frankly  what  your  qualifications 
are,  —  what  you  think  you  can  do,  and  what  you 
think  you  cannot  do,  —  and  ask  whether  he  would 
advise  you  to  keep  on  in  school  work  or  to  seek 
employment  somewhere  at  once.  If  the  latter,  what 
sort  of  position  would  he  recommend  you  to  apply  for  ? 
You  are  to  assume  that  your  reader  knows  of  your 
family,  and  knows  you  in  a  general  way,  but  not  so 
well  as  to  give  you  good  advice  without  further  in- 
formation. This  information  your  letter  is  to  supply. 

If  you  have  told  about  your  faults  so  frankly  that 
you  would  prefer  not  to  have  your  letter  read  aloud 
in  class,  the  teacher  will  respect  your  expressed  wish ; 
but  do  not  be  over-sensitive. 


110  LETTER-WRITING 

LESSON   62 

In  writing  to  those  with  whom  you  are  not  per- 
sonally acquainted,  you  must  remember  that  their 
only  knowledge  of  you  is  gained  through  your  letter 
and  that,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  they  form 
opinions  of  you  through  your  way  of  expressing  your- 
self, the  general  appearance  of  your  letter,  the  paper 
you  use,  and  even  the  penmanship.  Sometimes,  per- 
haps, you  may  not  care  what  your  correspondent 
thinks  of  you,  but  this  is  an  unwise  attitude  ;  you  will 
always  find  it  distinctly  worth  your  while  to  create  a 
favorable  impression.  A  letter  that  irritates  its  re- 
cipient, even  though  it  be  but  in  matters  of  taste, 
is  less  likely  to  succeed  in  its  purpose  than  a  letter 
that  is  irreproachable  in  form.  A  young  student 
will  sometimes  write  to  strangers  curt  letters,  for 
instance,  not  because  he  wishes  to  be  offensive,  but 
because  he  has  not  realized  that  there  is  the  same 
necessity  to  be  polite  on  paper  as  there  is  in  daily  life. 

Again,  in  writing  to  a  stranger,  it  is  especially  nec- 
essary to  be  accurate,  telling  clearly  what  it  is  that 
you  wish.  Business  houses  receive  many  requests 
worded  so  incompletely  or  so  confusedly  as  to  make 
it  very  difficult  to  know  what  is  really  wanted.  A 
person  who,  from  your  letter,  understands  instantly 
what  you  want  and  is  spared  the  bother  of  guessing, 
will  give  you  his  attention  the  more  willingly  and 
promptly. 


LETTER-WRITING  111 

A  good  test  of  a  letter  is  to  read  it  over  as  if  you 
were  the  person  receiving  it.  Such  reading  will  often 
incline  you  to  cut  out  things  that  now  sound  a  little 
forced  or  conceited  or  ill-natured  or  vague.  "  Should 
I  like  to  receive  this?"  is  a  question  you  may  safely 
put  to  yourself  regarding  every  letter  you  write. 

Bring  to  class  the  first  paragraph  of  the  following 
letters,  with  appropriate  address  and  salutation.  The 
paragraph  may  be  long  or  short  as  the  nature  of  the 
letter  requires,  but  should  leave  no  doubt  regarding 
the  purpose  of  the  letter. 

1.  To  a  public  lecturer. 

2.  To  a  member  of  Congress. 

3.  To  a  jeweler. 

4.  To  the  baseball  captain  of  a  neighboring  high  school. 

5.  To  an  acquaintance  traveling  in  England. 

LESSON    63 

Write  a  letter  to  the  father  or  mother  of  some  boy 
or  girl  of  your  own  age  whom  you  have  met  elsewhere. 
Assume  this  to  be  the  situation :  your  acquaintance 
wishes  to  continue  in  school,  but  his  parents  are 
doubtful.  They  think  that  his  time  can  be  more 
profitably  spent  in  learning  a  business.  Knowing 
that  you  are  still  in  school,  your  acquaintance  has 
written  a  letter  to  you,  ending  in  these  words  :  — 

"  I  know  it  is  a  great  favor  to  ask,  but  will  you  not  please 
write  a  letter  to  my  father  or  my  mother,  helping  me  in  this 
matter  as  much  as  you  can  ?  " 


112  LETTER-WRITING 

The  letter  you  are  about  to  write  is  your  response  to 
this  request. 

In  writing  this  letter,  remember  that  you  are  writ- 
ing to  people  who,  for  the  present  at  least,  are  not 
on  your  side  of  the  question,  and  you  must  not 
merely  present  sound  reasons,  but  show  courtesy  and 
respect  for  the  views  of  others.  By  far  the  easiest 
way  to  do  this  is  to  put  yourself  in  the  place  of  the 
others.  They  may  sincerely  think  just  the  reverse  of 
what  you  sincerely  think.  If  your  letter  is  to  be 
effective,  it  must  be  polite,  sensible,  and  should  show, 
by  its  general  good  tone,  that  you  have  profited  by 
the  advantages  which  school  life  offers. 

You  need  not  try  to  cover  the  whole  ground ;  the 
parents  are  probably  familiar  with  what  older  peo- 
ple may  say ;  what  your  friend  wants  is  to  have 
them  understand  the  point  of  view  of  a  person  in 
school. 

If,  however,  you  sincerely  think  that  the  acquaint- 
ance will  be  better  off  if  he  does  not  remain  in 
school,  write  a  letter  to  him,  explaining  why  you 
cannot  grant  his  request. 

LESSON   64 

Bring  to  the  class  a  letter  to  a  distant  acquaint- 
ance (man  or  woman),  considerably  older  than  you, 
and  living  in  another  city.  The  letter  should  deal 
with  one  of  the  following  points :  — 


LETTER- WRITING  113 

1.  Yonr  acquaintance  has  in  his  possession  the  only  copy  of 
a  photograph,  taken  in  childhood,  of  one  of  your  parents.     This 
photograph  you  would  like  to  have  if  the  owner  will  give  it  to 
you. 

2.  He  has  just  written  a  book  which  you  have  read  with 
much  interest. 

3.  He  has  returned  from  a  journey  during  which  he  met  an 
old  friend  of  yours  whom  you  have  not  seen  for  a  year. 

In  writing  this  letter  you  are  to  remember  that  you 
are  not  well  acquainted  with  the  recipient ;  it  may 
even  be  well  for  you  to  recalh  yourself  to  his  recollec- 
tion. State  very  clearly  the  purpose  of  your  letter 
and  express  your  real  feelings  upon  the  subject  you 
choose  to  write  about.  This  letter  is  to  be  read  aloud 
to  the  class. 

LESSON   65 

Write  a  brief  letter  to  a  friend,  thanking  him  (her) 
for  the  loan  of  a  book  which  you  now  return,  and 
saying  a  few  words  about  the  book.  Write  simply 
and  courteously,  and  let  it  be  seen  that  you  appre- 
ciate the  kindness  of  the  loan.  In  these  matters,  it 
is  not  so  simple  as  it  seems  to  preserve  a  pleasant 
balance  of  dignity  and  ease.  Sometimes  a  letter 
sounds  very  curt  when  the  writer  does  not  so  intend 
it,  and  sometimes  it  may  be  so  effusive  as  to  sound 
silly.  One  need  not  be  so  pedantic  as  to  say,  "  I 
hereby  return  to  you  the  book ; "  nor  need  one  say, 
"  I  cannot  begin  to  tell  you  under  what  lasting  obli- 
gations you  have  placed  me."  Perhaps  the  best 

8.   &  H.    RIIKT.  —  8 


114  LETTER- WRITING 

advice  to  give  you  is  this :  feel  pleasantly  about 
the  matter  and  then  tell  naturally  of  your  pleasant 
feeling.  You  should  never  feel  above  thanking  a 
person  for  a  kindness ;  regard  it  as  a  privilege.  As 
you  are  imagining  this  situation,  you  are  free  also  to 
imagine  the  book  to  be  any  one  you  please,  interest- 
ing or  uninteresting,  story  or  volume  of  essays. 

Write  also  a  brief  letter,  acknowledging  the  receipt 
of  a  book  which  has  been  returned  to  you  and  which 
has  been  accompanied  by  a  letter  of  thanks.  In 
other  words,  you  are  now  answering  your  first  letter. 
Do  not  confine  yourself  to  a  mere  acknowledgment, 
but  add  a  sentence  or  two,  showing  that  the  writer 
feels  some  friendly  interest  in  his  correspondent. 

LESSON   66 

Invitations,  acceptances,  and  regrets  fall  into  two 
general  classes,  informal  and  formal. 

Informal  invitations,  acceptances,  etc.,  come  under 
the  head  of  short,  friendly  letters,  —  an  informal  invi- 
tation being  merely  a  brief  letter  in  which  you  ex- 
tend an  invitation.  Formal  invitations  and  the  like, 
on  the  other  hand,  confine  themselves  to  the  subject 
as  pointedly  as  possible,  and  are,  strictly  speaking, 
announcements  and  not  letters.  They  are  usually 
written  in  the  third  person,  sometimes  in  the  third 
and  second  together.  To  the  beginner,  they  present 
but  two  difficulties  :  first,  the  knowledge  of  the  proper 


LETTER-WRITING  115 

form,  and  second,  the  management  of  pronouns.  These 
points  taken  care  of,  such  letters  are  easy  to  write. 
Examples  are  given  in  the  Notes,  pp.  229,  230. 

Whether  an  invitation  should  be  formal  or  in- 
formal depends  less  upon  your  familiarity  with  the 
invited  guest  than  it  does  upon  the  character  of  the 
occasion.  To  discuss  this  matter  is  a  point  in  man- 
ners and  customs,  and  not  in  English  composition. 
It  may  be  said  briefly,  however,  that  the  simpler  the 
occasion,  the  less  formal  the  invitation ;  save  for 
some  occasions,  —  weddings,  for  example,  —  which 
are  ceremonial  in  character. 

The  tone  of  the  invitation  determines  the  tone  of 
the  answer :  that  is,  for  instance,  a  friendly,  informal 
invitation  should  not  be  answered  in  the  third  person. 
In  accepting  an  invitation,  formal  or  informal,  the 
day  and  hour  stated  in  the  invitation  should  be  re- 
peated :  this  avoids  mistakes.  Good  manners  require 
prompt  replies  to  invitations. 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  write  (on  the  black- 
board at  the  teacher's  option)  answers  to  all  invita- 
tions given  in  the  Notes,  pp.  229-232  ;  and  to  write 
invitations  appropriate  to  the  answers  there  given. 

LESSON    67 

Write  a  brief  note  to  a  friend  of  your  own  age,  in- 
viting him  (her)  to  take  dinner  with  you.  The  art  of 
writing  a  brief  note  pleasantly  and  gracefully  is  not 


116  LETTER-WRITING 

easy  to  acquire.  It  will  be  enough  at  present  if  your 
language  shows  that  it  is  as  pleasant  for  you  to  give 
the  invitation  as  you  hope  it  will  be  for  your  friend  to 
receive  it. 

Certain  definite  points  must  be  mentioned,  —  the 
day  and  the  hour,  always ;  and  usually  the  occasion,  - 
that  is,  it  is  well  to  tell  your  friend  whether  others  are 
expected.  In  formal  notes,  it  is  enough  to  state  the 
facts  courteously.  In  friendly  notes,  the  personality 
of  the  writer  should  not  be  suppressed.  Here  are  two 
simple  invitations :  — 

DEAR  HOWARD,  — 

Some   of  the   boys   are  going  to  take 

dinner  with  us  next  Thursday.  I  hope  you'll  come  too,  and 
help  us  organize  the  debating  society  we  were  talking  of.  Six 
o'clock.  Don't  forget.  If  you  have  a  copy  of  Robert's  Rules 
of  Order,  please  bring  it  along. 

Sincerely  yours, 

GEORGE  H.  HENDERSON. 

DEAR  FANNY,  — 

My  cousin  Emma  is  coming  to  visit  us 

next  week.  I  want  her  to  meet  you,  and  I  should  be  ever  so 
glad  if  you  could  dine  with  us  on  Thursday,  the  nineteenth,  at 
half-past  six.  I  am  sure  you  will  like  her  —  and  besides  I  have 
a  secret  to  tell  you. 

Affectionately  yours, 

JENNIE  WRIGHT. 

These  notes  are  given  merely  as  suggestions,  and 

they  may  aid  you  to  find  other  ways  of  being  natural. 

Like  all  other  invitations,  the  note  that  you  have 


LETTER-WRITING  117 

written  deserves  an  answer.  Write  the  answer  your- 
self, accepting  or  declining,  and  making  of  it  the  kind 
of  note  you  would  like  to  receive. 

LESSON   68 

Prepare  to  write  in  the  class  the  following :  - 

1.  Invitation:  luncheon;  written  in  third  person. 

2.  Invitation:  afternoon  reception ;  third  person. 

3.  Acceptance :    evening   party   at    friend's    house ;    third 
person. 

4.  Invitation  :  literary  society  ;  second  person. 

5.  Regrets :  graduating  exercise ;  invitation  sent  by  member 
of  graduating  class  ;  first  person. 

6.  Regrets:  dinner;  third  person. 

Consult  Notes,  pp.  229-232,  for  appropriate  forms. 

LESSON    69 

Business  letters  should  be  clear  and  to  the  point. 
They  should  be  brief,  but  the  desire  for  brevity  should 
not  lead  you  to  cut  out  an  important  detail ;  nor  does 
brevity  involve  discourtesy,  —  a  single  word  like 
please,  kindly,  may  make  all  the  difference  between 
politeness  and  brusqueness.  Especially  in  reply- 
ing to  intending  purchasers,  a  few  polite  words 
produce  a  pleasant  feeling,  which,  from  a  business 
point  of  view,  is  not  to  be  despised. 

1.  Write  an  order  to  a  bookseller  for  three  books,  specify- 
ing, in  each  case,  title,  author,  and  publisher.  You  know  the 


118  LETTER-WRITING 

price  of  one  of  the  books ;  the  exact  cost  of  another  is  unknown  ; 
and  the  third  book  appears  in  two  bindings,  cloth  and  leather. 
What  assurance  do  you  give  that  the  bill  will  be  paid  ?  How 
shall  the  books  be  sent,  by  mail  or  express  ? 

2.  Write  also  an  answer,  as  from  the  bookseller,  acknowl- 
edging receipt  of  the  order,  and  giving  whatever  information  is 
necessary.     For  example,  are  all  the  books  on  hand  ?     Has  a 
revised  edition  of  one  of  the  books  appeared  ?     How  soon  can 
all  of  the  books  be  furnished  ? 

3.  After  the  time  specified  by  the  bookseller  in  his  letter, 
the  books  have  not  arrived.     Write  a  letter  of  inquiry. 

4.  Write  the  bookseller's  answer  — 

a.  forwarding  the  books  and  explaining  delay,  or 

b.  stating  that  the  books  were  sent  in  due  time  and  sug- 

gesting reason  for  their  non-arrival. 

5.  Write  a  note,  inclosing  payment  for  the  books.     How  do 
you  send  the  money  ? 

These  five  letters,  involving  a  complete  business 
transaction,  should  first  of  all  be  perfectly  clear  and 
as  brief  as  the  case  demands ;  but  remember  that 
clearness  is  more  important  than  brevity.  Clear  you 
must  be;  if  possible,  be  brief;  and  remember  that 
brevity  does  not  exclude  courtesy. 

LESSON   70 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  write  on  paper  or  on 
the  blackboard,  at  the  teacher's  option,  letters  appro- 
priate in  any  of  the  following  cases :  - 

1.  You  have  seen  in  a  magazine  an  advertisement  of  some 
article  which  you  wish.  The  advertisement  invites  correspon- 
dence. Write  for  particulars. 


LETTER-WRITING  119 

2.  Write  an  answer,  and  refer  to  inclosure  of  full  printed 
information. 

3.  Order  the  article. 

4.  Acknowledge  receipt  of  order,  and  send  the  purchase. 

o.  Write  a  letter  to. the  purchaser,  asking  payment  and 
inclosing  duplicate  bill. 

6.  Explain  why  you  have  not  paid  the  first  bill.  Did  you 
get  it  ?  Had  the  terms  of  payment  been  mentioned  ? 


LESSON   71 

Write  a  business  letter,  ordering  any  one  of  the 
following  things:  an  overcoat,  a  pair  of  shoes,  a  bat. 

You  may,  if  you  like,  assume  that  you  have  seen 
the  article  advertised,  but 'in  any  case  give  a  clear 
description  of  what  you  want.  If  an  overcoat,  state 
kind  of  material,  thickness,  number  and  arrangement 
of  pockets,  kind  of  collar,  lining,  approximate  meas- 
urements (ask  if  those  you  give  will  be  sufficient),  and 
general  style  of  the  garment.  If  shoes,  give  size  in 
length  and  width,  general  style  (heavy,  light,  lace, 
button,  high,  low),  kind  of  leather,  and  color.  If  a 
hat  (a  girl's  hat),  state  material  and  general  charac- 
ter of  shape  and  trimming,  color  of  your  hair  and 
way  of  wearing  it,  shape  of  face,  size  of  head,  height, 
color  and  style  of  dresses  which  the  hat  must  match, 
-inclose  samples,  if  you  like,  —  and  limit  of  price. 

Write  also  the  answer  of  the  firm  to  whom  the  let- 
ter is  addressed,  acknowledging  receipt  of  order  and 
promising  prompt  attention,  et  cetera. 


120  LETTER-WRITING 


LESSON    72 

Prepare  to  write  a  letter  on  any  one  of  the  follow- 
ing subjects  to  be  selected  by  the  teacher  when  you 
come  to  the  class-room  :  — 

.1.  You  are  contemplating  a  trip  to  California  (or  New 
York,  at  the  teacher's  option),  and  wish  information  as  to 
rates,  time  limit,  and  stop-over  privileges,  together  with  any 
printed  information  the  railroad  company  distributes.  What 
route  do  you  wish  to  take,  via  New  Orleans,  or  Canada,  or  one 
of  the  several  lines  in  between  ?  What  states  do  you  wish  to 
go  through  ?  Should  you  like  to  come  back  a  different  way  ? 
If  so,  can  you  secure  round-trip  rates  ? 

2.  Your  parents  have  some  thought  of  moving  to  another 
town.     One  of  the  points  of  consideration  is  whether  you  may 
go  on  with  your  school  work  in  the  new  place  without  losing 
your  present  standing.     You  have  agreed  to  find  out  about  the 
matter.     Your  proper  plan  is  to  write  to  the  superintendent  of 
schools  of  the  city  under  consideration,  giving  full  and  explicit 
information  concerning  the  studies  you  have  taken,  and  asking 
where  you  would  be  placed.     Do  not  say  merely  that  you  have 
studied   mathematics,   or   Latin,   but    tell   what   branches   of 
mathematics  you  have  studied,  and  how  far  you  have  gone  in 
them,  what  Latin  authors  you  have  read,  and  what  selections 
from  each. 

3.  A  friend  of  yours  has  been  elected  a  member  of  a  lit- 
erary society  of  which  you  are  secretary.     In  notifying  him  of 
his  election,  inclose  a  copy  of  the  constitution,  if  there  is  one, 
calling  attention    to  the   articles  and  sections   pertaining  to 
newly  elected  members.     If  there  is  no  printed  constitution, 
state  the  privileges  and  duties  of  a  member,  give   informa- 
tion regarding  initiation  fees  and  dues,  if  any,  and  ask  an 
answer  by  such-and-such  a  date. 


LETTER-WRITING  121 

LESSON    73 

Write  a  letter  applying  for  a  position.  Assume 
that  you  have  seen  an  advertisement  in  a  paper  ask- 
ing for  applicants  for  a  position,  which  you  think  you 
can  fill.  A  letter  of  application  should  be  straight- 
forward and  business-like,  it  should  put  its  recipient 
in  possession  of  enough  facts  to  make  him  know 
whether  or  not  he  should  investigate  your  case 
further. 

The  things  to  tell  vary,  of  course,  with  the  nature 
of  the  position,  but  in  almost  every  instance  the  one 
who  offers  the  position  will  wish  to  know  your  age, 
qualifications,  your  training,  and  whether  you  have 
had  experience  in  this  or  other  occupations.  Refer- 
ences as  to  good  character  are  always  desirable  ;  but 
it  is  better  to  name,  as  those  who  can  vouch  for  you, 
a  very  few  persons  of  unquestioned  standing,  rather 
than  a  good  many  persons  who  are  unknown  to  the 
reader  of  your  letter.  In  general,  to  refer  to  the  im- 
mediate members  of  your  family  looks  as  if  you  could 
refer  to  no  one  else,  but  it  is  never  out  of  place  for  a 
young  applicant  to  tell  what  position  his  father 
occupies  in  the  business  or  professional  world.  In 
speaking  of  your  own  qualifications,  it  is  a  virtue  to 
be  modest,  and  also  a  virtue  to  be  frank  and  willing. 
Do  not  promise  too  much,  saying,  "  I  am  sure  I  can 
fill  this  position  to  your  satisfaction."  Say  rather 
that  you  will  do  your  best  if  chosen. 


122  LETTER-WRITING 

Do  not  insist  on  an  immediate  answer.  If  your 
letter  makes  its  reader  willing  to  go  further  in  the 
matter,  he  will  do  it  in  his  own  way.  If  he  doesn't 
want  you,  in  all  probability  he  will  not  answer  your 
letter ;  there  may  be  a  hundred  applications  for  this 
position.  See  that  your  address,  the  name  and  ad- 
dresses of  your  references,  and  your  own  name,  are 
written  with  absolute  legibility,  and  that  your  whole 
letter  looks  neat  and  business-like. 

LESSON   74 

Prepare  to  write  applications  for  all  of  the  follow- 
ing positions.  Assume  that  you  have  the  qualifica- 
tions given  below,  and  that  the  given  experience  in 
each  case  dates  from  your  high  school  graduation. 
In  a  letter  of  application,  3^011  are  expected  to  give 
your  age.  It  will  be  easy,  in  the  cases  given  below, 
to  figure  out  the  proper  number  of  years.  Study 
carefully  the  given  qualifications,  and  consider  to 
what  degree  they  fit*  you  for  the  position.  Deter- 
mine which  points  shall  be  merely  stated,  and  which 
shall  be  enlarged  upon. 

Some  of  the  points  named  may  be  disadvantages. 
In  such  cases,  state  the  points  frankly,  but  do  not  go 
into  elaborate  explanations ;  a  brief  explanation  is 
often,  but  not  always,  in  place.  The  fact  that  you 
may  not  be  holding  a  position  at  present  usually 
requires  an  explanation.  If  you  have  no  other  ex- 


LETTER-WRITING  123 

planation  than  that  your  employer  was  in  the  wrong, 
you  will  find  it  a  poor  argument,  unless  this  employer 
is  notorious  in  the  business  world  for  being  difficult 
to  get  along  with.  A  sharp  attack  of  illness  is  usu- 
ally an  acceptable  explanation  for  being  out  of  a  posi- 
tion, but  "  poor  health  "  is  not  —  do  you  see  why  ? 

1.  Newspaper  reporter. 

College  graduate. 

Edited  college  paper  one  year. 

At  present  finishing  first  year  of  ]&w  school. 

2.  Shipping  clerk  in  wholesale  house. 

Two  years  clerk  in  a  small  drygoods  store. 

Two  years  clerk  in  traffic  department  of  W.  L.  &  B. 

railroad. 
Out  of  a  position. 

3.  Tutor  or  governess  in  family. 

College  graduate. 

One  summer  in  Europe. 

Speaks  German  fluently,  French  a  little. 

At  present  teaching  fourth  grade  public  school. 

4.  Manager  of  large  wheat  farm. 

Graduate  of  agricultural  college. 
Farming  every  summer  since  childhood. 
Two  years  on  experimental  farm. 
Two  years  assistant  manager  of  wholesale  seed  house. 
Gave  up  position  from  ill  health  caused  by  confining 
indoor  work,  and  at  present  unemployed. 

5.  Stenographer  and  private  secretary  to  head  of  important 

law  firm. 

Business  college  two  years. 
Expert  in  shorthand  and  typewriting. 
Private  secretary  one  year  to  dean  of  law  school. 
At  present  third  year  as  court  stenographer. 


124  LETTER-WRITING 

6.  Teacher  of  mathematics  in  high  school. 

Graduate  of  college. 
Three  years  teaching  in  grades. 

At  present  pursuing  graduate  study  in  mathematics, 
in University. 

7.  Assistant  chemist  in  sugar  refinery. 

Just  received  Ph.D.  degree  in  chemistry,  from  —   -  Uni- 
versity. 
No  business  experience. 

8.  Teacher  of  drawing  in  city  of  thirty  thousand. 

Two  years  at  -    -  art  school. 

Three  years  lessons  to  private  pupils. 

At  the  teacher's  option,  you  may  be  asked  to  bring 
to  the  class  one  or  more  of  these  letters.  In  the 
class-room,  you  will  write  on  paper,  or  on  the  black- 
board, a  letter  on  any  one  of  the  above  subjects,  the 
subject  to  be  selected  by  the  teacher. 


LESSON   75 

Write  adequate  answers  to  four  of  the  following 
inquiries  sent  you  by  persons  with  whom  you  are  not 
well  acquainted :  - 

•  1.   What  text-book  did  you  use  in  beginning  Latin? 

2.  Would  your  school  like  to  join  an  interscholastic  debat- 
ing league  ? 

3.  What  is  the  total  cost  of  your  text-books  for  the  present 
term? 

4.  What   is   the   general   health  of   the  members  of  your 
football  team  ? 

5.  Have  you  public  contests  in  declamation  or  oratory  ? 


LETTER-WRITING  125 

6.  Is  your  baseball  team  open  to  a  challenge  from  a  neigh- 
boring high  school  ? 

7.  Is  your  high  school  willing  to  join  with  another  to  make 
an  excursion  to  some  point  of  great  interest,  expenses  not  to 
exceed  twenty-five  dollars  a  person  ? 

8.  How  many  of   the   last  year's   graduating  class  have 
entered  college? 

As  always,  see  that  the  letters  are  properly  begun 
and  ended,  and  that  the  tone  is  courteous. 

LESSON   76 

Prepare  yourself  upon  all  the  following  subjects 
of  inquiry.  Determine  to  whom  the  letters  shall  be 
written,  and  how  much  you  must  tell  of  local  or 
personal  conditions  to  warrant  the  inquiry  you  are 
making. 

In  the  class-room  the  teacher  will  require  you  to 
write  on  paper,  or  on  the  blackboard,  a  letter  upon  one 
or  more  of  the  subjects.  These  are  all  letters  of  in- 
quiry, and  they  assume  that  you  will  use  the  requisite 
tact  in  asking  for  information.  It  is  possible  to  ask 
questions  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  people  glad  to 
answer  them.  Some  of  the  inquiries  admit  of  sub- 
division ;  the  more  specific  your  questions,  the  more 
likely  you  are  to  get  explicit  answers. 

1.  How  many  books  are  there  in  a  library  of  a  neighboring 
school?     What  rules  govern  their  circulation? 

2.  How  does  a  certain  school  support  its  athletic  teams  ? 

3.  Are  any  prizes  offered  in  a  neighboring  school  ?     What 
are  they  ? 


126  LETTER-WRITING 

4.  What  would  be  the  cost  of  a  trip  to  Europe  ? 

5.  What  are  the  requirements  for  admission  to  West  Point? 

6.  What  proportion  of  immigrants  is  sent  back  (deported) 
after  coining  to  America  ? 

7.  How  can  one  become  a  page  in  Congress  or  the  state 
legislature  ? 

8.  How  many  colleges  are  there  in  the  United  States  ? 

9.  How  is  an  invention  patented  ? 

10.  What  form  of  athletics,  if  any,  should  a  girl  be  advised 
to  take  up  ? 

LESSON   77 

Write  a  letter  to  a  friend,  asking  any  two  of  the 
following  questions,  and  answering  any  two  others, 
which  you  assume  that  your  friend  has  asked  you. 
Neither  your  questions  nor  your  answers  should  be 
abrupt  and  jerky,  but  should  be  pleasantly  persuasive 
and  sensible.  Your  letters  will  gain  in  attractiveness 
in  proportion  as  your  writing  is  simple  and  unaffected. 

Which  ought  to  come  first,  your  questions  or  your 
answers  ? 

1.  Will  you  spend  part  of  the  next  vacation  with  me  ? 

2.  What  books  have  you  read  recently,  and  what  one  do 
you  like  best  ? 

3.  What  news  have  you  heard  of  your  old  friend ? 

4.  Are  you  keeping  up  your  music  ? 

5.  Is  your  health  better  than  it  used  to  be  ? 

6.  Have  you  attended  any  good  concerts  lately  ? 

7.  Has  your  town  increased  in   attractiveness  during  the 
past  year  ? 

8.  Have  you  improved  in  English  composition  lately  ? 

9.  Is  your  favorite  dog  still  alive  ? 

10.    How  did  you  celebrate  your  last  birthday  ? 


LETTER-WRITING  127 

LESSON  78 

Good  letter-writing  is  harder  to  characterize  than 
good  narration  or  good  description,  because  its  range 
is  so  wide.  Generalizations  can  scarcely  be  made 
that  will  apply  at  the  same  time  to  letters  of  con- 
dolence, of  congratulation,  of  business,  of  inquiry, 
of  friendly  interest,  of  affectionate  intimacy,  and  of 
cheerful  fun  making.  The  language  should  be  natu- 
ral and  unaffected ;  the  writer  should  keep  his  own 
individuality  ;  he  should  accommodate  himself  to  the 
one  to  whom  he  is  writing;  and  he  should  make  the 
tone  of  his  letter  correspond  to  the  things  he  speaks 
of.  Letter-writing  partakes  of  the  nature  both  of 
written  discourse  and  of  conversation ;  it  has  the 
form  of  the  first  and  the  spirit  of  the  second. 

What  to  your  mind  are  the  qualities  of  a  good 
letter  of  each  of  the  following  kinds  ? 

1.  Business  letter. 

2.  Friendly  letter. 

3.  Formal  invitation,  acceptance,  and  regrets. 

4.  Letter  of  application. 

5.  Letter  of  inquiry,  and  answer  to  inquiry. 

In  preparing  for  this  lesson  try  to  do  your  own 
thinking.  Call  to  mind  what  you  have  heard  and 
read  about  good  letters,  and  then  form  your  own 
judgments.  Make  notes,  if  you  like,  of  the  main 
things  you  have  to  say. 


128  LETTER-WRITING 

» 

LESSON   79 

Write  a  letter  to  a  friend,  choosing  the  things  you 
will  talk  about.  No  restrictions  are  placed  upon  you ; 
speak  freely  of  the  things  that  interest  your  friend 
and  yourself.  If  requested,  the  teacher  will  not  read 
your  letter  to  the  class. 

No  rule  can  be  given  that  will  insure  the  writing 
of  an  agreeable,  entertaining  letter,  but  you  may  find 
this  advice  profitable :  Keep  in  mind  your  friend, 
rather  than  the  difficulty  in  writing  to  him.  To  wish 
to  write  a  letter  will  help  you  very  much  to  write  a 
good  one.  If  you  remember  how  pleasant  it  is  to 
receive  a  good  letter,  and  will  put  yourself  in  your 
friend's  place,  the  chances  are  that  he  will  be  glad 
you  have  written  to  him. 

Below  are  several  letters  which  you  should  care- 
fully read  and  reread.  Try  to  discover  the  good 
qualities  in  each  of  them. 

NATHANIEL  HAWTHORNE   TO   HENRY   W.   LONGFELLOW 

SALEM,  June  4,  1848. 
DEAR  LONGFELLOW, 

I  got  as  far  as  Boston  yesterday  with  the  purpose  of  coming 
out  to  Cambridge  to  see  Stephen  and  yourself,  in  compliance 
with  his  letter.  An  engagement  of  business  obtruded  itself, 
however,  and  I  was  detained  till  it  was  too  late  to  dine  with 
you.  So  I  thought  it  best  to  dispense  with  the  visit  altogether; 
for  the  encounter  of  friends  after  long  separation  is  but  unsub- 
stantial and  ghostlike  without  a  dinner.  It  is  roast  beef  that 


LETTER-WRITING  129 

gives  reality  to  everything !  If  he  is  gone,  pray  write  him 
how  unwillingly  I  failed  of  meeting  him  ;  if  he  is  still  in 
Cambridge,  tell  him  ho\v  happy  I  should  be  to  receive  him 
here  on  his  way  to  Portland.  I  think  he  might  spend  a  few- 
days  pleasantly  enough,  for  I  would  introduce  him  to  all  the 
custom-house  officers,  beside  other  intellectual  society !  Seri- 
ously, I  do  wish  he  would  come.  It  is  nearly  ten  years  since 
we  met  —  too  long  a  space  to  come  between  those  who  have 
kindly  recollections  of  each  other.  Ten  years  more  will  go 
near  to  make  us  venerable  men,  and  I  doubt  whether  it  will 
be  so  pleasant  to  meet  when  each  friend  shall  be  a  memento 
of  decay  to  the  other. 

Very  truly  yours, 

NATH.  HAWTHORNE.* 

LEWIS   CARROLL   TO    MRS.    HARGREAVES 

CHRIST  CHURCH,  Dec.  21,  1883. 
DEAR  MRS.  HARGREAVES  : 

Perhaps  the  shortest  day  in  the  year  is  not  quite  the  most 
appropriate  time  for  recalling  the  long  dreamy  summer  after- 
noons of  ancient  times ;  but,  anyhow,  if  this  book  gives  you 
half  as  much  pleasure  to  receive  as  it  does  me  to  send,  it  will 
be  a  success  indeed. 

Wishing  you  all  happiness  at  this  happy  season,  I  am, 

Sincerely  yours, 

C.  L.  DODGSON. 

HELEN   KELLER   TO   THE   CHAIRMAN   OF   THE   ACADEMIC 
BOARD   OF    RADCLIFFE    COLLEGE 

138  BRATTLE  STREET,  CAMBRIDGE,  MASS., 

May  5,  1900. 
DEAR  SIR: 

As  an  aid  to  me  in  determining  my  plans  for  study  the 
coming  year,  I  apply  to  you  for  information  as  to  the  possi- 
bility of  my  taking  the  regular  courses  in  Kadcliffe  College. 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co. 
s.  &  ii.  RHKT.  — 9 


130  LETTER-WRITING 

Since  receiving  my  certificate  of  admission  to  Radcliffe 
last  July,  I  have  been  studying  with  a  private  tutor,  Horace, 
J^schylus,  French,  German,  Rhetoric,  English  History,  English 
Literature  and  Criticism,  and  English  Composition. 

In  college  I  should  wish  to  continue  most,  if  not  all  of 
these  subjects.  The  conditions  under  which  I  work  require 
the  presence  of  Miss  Sullivan,  who  has  been  my  teacher  and 
companion  for  thirteen  years,  as  an  interpreter  of  oral  speech 
and  as  a  reader  of  examination  papers.  In  college  she,  or 
possibly  in  some  subjects  some  one  else,  would  of  necessity  be 
with  me  in  the  lecture  room  and  at  recitations.  I  should  do  all 
my  written  work  on  a  typewriter,  and  if  the  professor  could 
not  understand  my  speech,  I  could  write  out  my  answers  to 
his  questions  and  hand  them  to  him  after  the  recitation. 

Is  it  possible  for  the  college  to  accommodate  itself  to 
these  unprecedented  conditions,  so  as  to  enable  me  to  pursue 
my  studies  at  Radcliffe  ?  I  realize  that  the  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  my  receiving  a  college  education  are  very  great  —  to 
others  they  may  seem  insurmountable;  but,  dear  Sir,  a  true 
soldier  does  not  acknowledge  defeat  before  the  battle.  .  .  . 

HELEN  KELLER.1 

HORACE   WALPOLE   TO  THE   EARL   OF   STRAFFORD 

STRAWBERRY  HILL,  Aug.  10,  1763. 
MY  DEAR  LORD,  — 

I  have  waited  in  hopes  that  the  world  would  do  some- 
thing worth  telling  you ;  it  will  not,  and  I  cannot  stay  any 
longer  without  asking  you  how  you  do,  and  hoping  you  have 
not  quite  forgot  me.  It  has  rained  such  deluges  that  I  had 
some  thoughts  of  turning  my  gallery  into  an  ark,  and  began  to 
pack  up  a  pair  of  bantams,  a  pair  of  cats  —  in  short,  a  pair  of 
every  living  creature  about  my  house;  but  it  is  grown  fine 
at  last,  and  the  workmen  quit  my  gallery  to-day  without  hoist- 

1  From  The  Story  of  My  Life  by  Helen  Keller,  Copyright,  1902,  1903, 
by  Helen  Keller.  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


LETTER-WRITING  131 

ing  a  sail  in  it.  I  know  nothing  upon  earth  but  what  the 
ancient  ladies  in  my  neighborhood  knew  threescore  years  ago; 
I  write  merely  to  pay  you  my  peppercorn  of  affection,  and  to 
inquire  after  my  lady,  who  I  hope  is  perfectly  well.  A  longer 
letter  would  not  have  half  the  merit;  a  line  in  return  will, 
however,  repay  all  the  merit  I  can  possibly  have  to  one  to 
whom  I  am  so  much  obliged — , 

HORACE  WALPOLE. 

ROBERT  LOUIS  STEVENSON  TO   SIDNEY   COLVIN 

HOTEL  DES  ETRANGERS,  DIEPPE,  January  1,  1878. 

MY  DEAR  COLVIN,  —  I  am  at  the  Inland  Voyage  again : 
have  finished  another  section,  and  have  only  two  more  to 
execute.  But  one  at  least  of  these  will  be  very  long  —  the 
longest  in  the  book  —  being  a  great  digression  on  French 
artistic  tramps.  I  only  hope  Paul  may  take  the  thing;  I 
want  coin  so  badly,  and  besides  it  would  be  something  done 
—  something  put  outside  of  me  and  off  my  conscience;  and 
I  should  not  feel  such  a  muff  as  I  do,  if  once  I  saw  the  thing 
in  boards  with  a  ticket  on  its  back.  I  think  I  shall  frequent 
circulating  libraries  a  good  deal.  The  Preface  shall  stand  over 
as  you  suggest,  until  the  last,  and  then,  sir,  we  shall  see.  This 
to  be  read  with  a  big  voice. 

This  is  New  Year's  Day :  let  me,  my  dear  Colvin,  wish 
you  a  very  good  year,  free  of  all  misunderstanding  and  bereave- 
ment, and  full  of  good  weather  and  good  work.  You  know 
best  what  you  have  done  for  me,  and  so  you  will  know  best 
how  heartily  I  mean  this.  —  Ever  yours, 

EGBERT  Louis  STEVENSON^ 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 


EXPOSITION 

LESSON   80 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  subject  of  Exposition. 
In  Narration,  you  learned  to  tell  of  events,  of  things 
as  they  happen ;  in  Description,  you  learned  to  tell 
how  things  appear  ;  in  Exposition,  you  are  to  try  to 
explain  something. 

In  one  word,  exposition  is  explaining.  When  you 
tell  why  you  do  a  thing;  when  you  take  some 
thought  or  idea,  and  make  it  clear  to  a  person  who 
has  not  understood  it;  when,  for  example,  you  tell 
why  one  political  party,  and  not  another,  wins  your 
adherence :  then  you  are  using  exposition.  If  you 
give  an  account  of  what  happens  in  your  schoolroom, 
that  is  narration ;  if  you  tell  what  the  schoolroom 
looks  like,  that  is  description  ;  and  if  you  explain  why 
we  have  schoolrooms  at  all,  that  is  exposition.  We 
need  not  now  consider  how  far  these  forms  of  dis- 
course may  merge  into  one  another;  our  present 
problem  is  to  learn  to  explain  clearly. 

Are  the  preceding  paragraphs  narration,  description, 
or  exposition  ? 

Write  a  theme  on  the  season  of  the  year  you  like 
best.  You  may  entitle  your  paper,  Why  I  Like  -  — , 
inserting  your  preference.  What  are  your  reasons  ? 

132 


EXPOSITION  133 

You  need  not  avoid  descriptive  and  narrative  touches, 
if  they  make  your  reasons  clearer ;  but  your  main 
purpose  is  not  to  give  an  account  of  a  game  you 
usually  play  in  that  season ;  it  is  not  to  describe  the 
appearance  of  nature  at  that  time :  it  is  to  tell  why, 
all  things  considered, —  sports,  games,  tasks,  pleas- 
ures, —  you  prefer  one  time  of  the  year  to  another. 

Suppose,  for  instance,  your  subject  were,  What  Day 
-  of  the  Week  I  Like  Best.     You  might  say :  - 

I  prefer  Wednesday  because  then  I  have  my  favorite  study ; 
because,  on  that  day,  certain  friends  are  likely  to  pay  us  a  visit. 
My  work  is  not  easier,  but  it  is  more  congenial,  since  I  can 
work  harder  when  the  subject  interests  me  greatly.  Then, 
too,  we  are  likely  to  have  for  dinner  a  dessert  that  I  am  par- 
ticularly fond  of,  and  in  the  evening  there  is  usually  some 
entertainment  to  which  it  is  a  pleasure  to  go,  for  I  am  very 
fond  of  entertainments  and  like  to  go  to  them,  and  they  do  not 
come  on  other  days.  Then,  too,  I  was  born  on  Wednesday, 
and  that  makes  it  interesting  to  me,  and  so,  on  the  whole,  I 
like  Wednesday  best. 

Now  this  is  the  exposition  of  a  person  who  is  just 
learning  to  explain  his  preferences.  Read  it  over  two 
or  three  times.  Do  you  see  why  it  is  exposition,  not 
narration,  not  description  ?  Is  it  good  exposition  ? 
Are  the  reasons  clear  ?  Are  they  well  arranged  ? 
Are  the  sentences  good?  Could  you  not  improve 
upon  them  ?  See  if  you  cannot  write  a  better  theme 
on  The  Season  I  Like  Best,  than  this  theme  on 
The  Day  I  Like  Best.  At  any  rate  you  see  what  is 
necessary  to  be  done :  you  must  find  your  reasons, 


134  EXPOSITION 

you  must  see  that  they  are  good  reasons,  you  must 
state  them  clearly,  and  you  must  try  to  put  them  in 
effective  order. 

When  you  come  to  the  class,  some  of  these  papers 
will  be  read,  and  as  they  are  read,  make  up  your 
mind  whether  or  not  the  given  preference  has  been 
stated  clearly  and  effectively. 

LESSON   81 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  explain  the  differ- 
ence between :  — 

1.  Ridiculous  and  laughable. 

2.  Discovery  and  invention. 

3.  Task  and  duty. 

4.  Picture  and  illustration. 

5.  Calendar  and  diary. 

6.  House  and  home. 

7.  Salary  and  wages. 

8.  Laborer  and  worker. 

9.  Learning  and  wisdom. 

10.  Study  and  knowledge. 

Be  prepared  also  to  give  a  clear  answer  to  the  fol- 
lowing questions :  -- 

11.  When  should  you  call  a  person  studious  ? 

12.  When  should  you  call  a  person  eloquent  ? 

13.  What  is  your  idea  of  a  popular  student  ? 

14.  How  do  you  define  the  word  tactful  ? 

15.  What  do  you  mean  by  saying  some  one  has  a  sense  of 
humor  ? 

16.  A  sense  of  honor? 


EXPOSITION  135 

LESSON    82 

WHAT  ARE  THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  CITY  LIFE  ? 
WHAT  ARE  THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  COUNTRY  LIFE? 

Here  are  two  subjects.  Choose  the  question  which 
you  can  answer  the  more  readily,  and  write  an  ex- 
position of  it.  It  is  not  necessary  to  contrast  the 
two  modes  of  life,  or  to  take  sides,  although  you  may 
do  so.  Note  briefly  the  several  advantages  that  occur 
to  yon.  When  you  have  noted  all  the  points  that 
you  can  think  of,  then,  just  as  in  narration  and  in 
description,  determine  the  order  that  will  be  most 
effective.  Perhaps  no  one  order  will  be  undeniably 
the  best,  but  you  can  at  least  put  similar  things 
together.  Decide  for  yourself  whether  it  will  be  best 
to  put  your  strongest  reason  first  or  last. 

LESSON   83 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  discuss  each  one  of  the 
following  proverbs,  telling  what  it  means,  whether 
or  not  you  think  it  is  true,  and  why :  — 

1.  Haste  makes  waste. 

2.  A  new  broom  sweeps  clean. 

3.  Let  a  sleeping  dog  lie. 

4.  His  bark  is  worse  than  his  bite. 

5.  Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together. 

6.  All  that  glitters  is  not  gold. 

Take  for  instance  the  proverb,  "  Too  many  cooks 
spoil  the  broth."  Note  how  much  is  involved  in  the 


136  EXPOSITION 

homely  expression.  It  gives  us  a  picture  of  people 
getting  into  each  other's  way,  of  one  person  insisting 
upon  this  and  another  upon  that,  of  one  plan  interfering 
with  another,  of  lack  of  agreement  resulting  in  failure 
of  a  very  simple  task  which  any  one  of  the  persons 
might  easily  have  performed.  The  confusion  is  pro- 
duced by  persons  differing  in  opinion  but  equal  in  au- 
thority :  everybody  wants  his  own  way  and  nobody 
gets  it.  Can  you  find  an  illustration  of  this  ?  In 
baseball,  for  instance,  can  you  recall  a  situation  in 
which  lack  of  teani  work  caused  several  players  to  try 
to  do  the  same  thing  at  once  ?  Or  have  you  ever  seen 
the  proverb  literally  come  true  ?  Sometimes  too  many 
young  cooks  together  may  not  make  as  good  candy 
as  any  one  of  them  could  make  by  herself. 

LESSON   84 

Write  a  theme  on  the  following  subject :  — 
WHAT  is  THE  USE  OF  THE  WEATHER  FORECASTS? 

First,  tell  what  they  are.  You  need  not  describe 
how  they  are  made.  Now  endeavor  to  make  up  your 
mind  what  good  they  may  do  to  different  classes  of 
people,  —  to  farmers,  merchants,  persons  engaged  in 
foreign  trade,  physicians,  railroad  men,  householders, 
for  example.  Some  persons  may  be  affected  more 
than  others,  some  persons  not  at  all.  Does  the  fact 
that  the  prophecies  are  sometimes  unfulfilled  affect 


EXPOSITION  137 

their  general  utility  ?     Try  to   think  of  the  subject 
clearly  and  to  give  a  common-sense  opinion. 

Here,  and  in  other  cases,  you  may  possibly  be  in- 
clined to  give  a  comic  treatment  of  the  subject.  There 
is  usually  nothing  objectionable  in  this,  provided  you- 
are  quite  sure  that  your  sense  of  humor  is  fine  enough 
to  make  your  writing  funny  to  other  persons  as  well 
as  to  yourself ;  but  remember  that  nothing  falls  more 
flat  than  a  joke  that  sounds  forced. 

LESSON   85 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  give  a  clear  and 
carefully  considered  explanation  of  the  following 
terms  :  — 

1.  Manual  labor.  7.  A  cold  wave. 

2.  An  eclipse.  8.  A  serial  story. 

3.  A  novel.  9.  Center  of  gravity. 

4.  A  periodical.  10.  A  newspaper. 

5.  Center  of  population.  11.  The  prodigal  son. 

6.  A  professional  man.  12.  A  man  of  no  feeling. 

Here  are  some  expressions,  with  most  of  which  you 
are  quite  familiar  ;  some  of  them  you  have  often  used, 
however,  without  defining  exactly.  Look  up  in  your 
dictionary,  or  elsewhere,  the  expressions  whose  mean- 
ing is  uncertain  to  you.  Then,  when  you  understand 
the  point,  try  to  state  it  in  your  own  words.  Do  not 
try  to  commit  to  memory  another  person's  definition; 
that  will  exercise  only  your  memory  and  not  your 
powers  of  exposition. 


138  EXPOSITION 

The  teacher  may  read  you  an  expository  paragraph 
slowly.  After  listening  attentively  to  it,  you  are 
to  write  on  paper  in  the  class  a  summary  of  the 
author's  meaning. 

LESSON   86 

Write  a  theme  on  the  subject :  — 
FENCES 

First  of  all  put  down  on  paper  all  the  points  regard- 
ing fences  that  you  can  think  of.  For  instance  :  — 

Rail.  Barb  wire. 

Picket.  Dangerous  to  horses. 

To  mark  boundaries.  Ornamental. 

Hedges.  Iron. 

Add  as  much  to  this  list  as  you  possibly  can. 
Have  you  named  all  the  kinds  of  fences  that  you  can 
think  of  ?  How  many  varieties  of  wood  fences  are 
there  ?  Do  you  suppose  that  fences  are  a  compara- 
tively modern  invention  ?  For  how  many  purposes 
are  fences  built?  Would  you  distinguish  between  a 
wall  and  a  fence  ?  Are  all  fences  necessary  ?  What 
determines  the  choice  of  material  ?  Ask  yourself  as 
many  questions  as  you  can.  Do  not  be  satisfied  with 
making  a  list  of  half  a  dozen  points ;  if  you  think 
about  the  subject,  you  will  find  the  items  on  your  list 
extending  to  twenty  or  thirty. 

You  now  have  before  you  the  material  for  a 
theme,  but  it  is  unarranged  and  disjointed.  Obvi- 


EXPOSITION  139 

ously,  the  thing  to  do  is  to  put  together  the  things 
that  belong  together.  Suppose  you  group  together 
all  the  points  relating  to  kinds  of  fences  ;  then 
place  in  another  group  all  the  points  regarding  the 
uses  of  fences.  How  many  items  are  left  ?  Do  they 
seem  to  belong  to  a  single  group  or  not  ?  Now  which 
one  of  these  groups  will  you  write  about  first,  —  kinds 
or  uses  ?  Is  it  not  perhaps  well  to  tell  the  purposes 
of  fences  before  telling  what  kinds  of  fences  have  been 
built  to  suit  those  purposes? 

In  what  order  will  you  tell  about  their  uses?  Will 
you  begin  with  the  most  important  or  the  least  im- 
portant ?  Similarly,  in  what  order  will  you  tell  of 
the  kinds  of  fences  ?  Choose  any  order  that  seems  to 
you  to  have  a  common-sense  reason.  In  like  man- 
ner, determine  in  what  order  you  will  speak  of  the 
things  that  are  neither  kinds  nor  uses. 

Now,  with  the  rearranged  list  before  you,  write 
about  the  purposes  of  fences.  When  you  have  told 
all  you  can  about  the  purposes,  you  are  ready  to  tell 
about  the  kinds  of  fences.  If  you  should  put  what 
you  have  to  say  about  kinds  in  the  same  paragraph 
with  what  you  have  to  say  about  uses,  what  would 
be  the  effect  upon  the  reader  ?  He  would  see  a  long 
paragraph  and  would  assume  that  it  was  all  on  the 
same  subject.  When  he  began  to  read  about  kinds, 
he  would  say  to  himself,  "The  subject  seems  to 
change,  but  it  will  come  back  to  uses  in  a  moment.'* 
But  it  doesn't,  and  you  have  confused  your  reader 


140  EXPOSITION 

unnecessarily.  You  have  had  two  things  to  tell  him 
thus  far,  and  putting  those  two  things  in  one  para- 
graph makes  them  seem  to  be  but  one  thing.  Now, 
how  can  you  indicate  to  the  eye  that  you  are  talking 
about  two  things  ?  You  might  write  the  second 
thing  in  red  ink,  or  you  might  give  the  second  thing 
a  title,  but  the  usual  way  is  to  begin  a  new  para- 
graph. And  this  is  really  what  paragraphing  is  for, 
—  to  show  to  the  eye  that  you  have  ended  with  one 
thought  and  are  about  to  begin  upon  another. 

Now  write  your  paragraph  about  kinds  of  fences, 
trying  to  make  it  as  interesting  to  yourself  as  you 
can,  by  the  use  of  descriptive  words  and  sentences,  so 
that  your  paragraph  may  not  seem  to  be  a  mere 
list. 

If  you  have  anything  left  to  say,  say  it  in  a  new 
paragraph  or  in  several,  as  the  nature  of  the  material 
seems  to  require. 

LESSON   87 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  discuss  briefly  the 
following  questions :  — 

1.  What  are  the  Advantages  of  the  Study  of  Chemistry? 

2.  What  are  the  Advantages  of  the  Study  of  History? 

3.  Why  do  we  have  Legal  Holidays? 

4.  What  are  the  Advantages  of  Money  Orders? 

5.  What  are  the  Uses  of  Flowers  ? 

Bring  with  you  to  the  class  a  brief  summary  of 
your  answers  to  these  questions.  This  summary 


EXPOSITION  141 

should  indicate  the  points  which  you  intend  to  make. 
You  need  not  write  out  complete  answers ;  a  mere 
memorandum  will  suffice.  In  all  probability,  as  you 
think  of  the  questions,  you  will  find  that  each  answer 
will  include  several  points.  Try  to  have  good  reasons 
and  to  arrange  them  well.  The  teacher  may  call 
upon  you  to  place  upon  the  board  your  summary, 
and  then  to  explain  it  to  the  class,  which  will  be  pre- 
pared to  continue  the  discussion,  adding  new  points 
if  necessary,  and  to  consider  the  arrangement.  Some 
answers  may  include  but  two  or  three  sentences, 
while  others  may  need  fuller  explanation. 

The  following  will  show  how  a  similar  subject  may 
be  treated  in  a  simple  way.  Suppose  you  are  con- 
sidering the  following  question  :  — 

WHAT  ARE  THE  USES  OP  BOOK  BINDING? 

It  will  occur  to  you  that  the  binding  may  add  to 
the  beauty  of  a  book ;  that  it  makes  the  book  last 
longer ;  that  a  bound  book  is  more  convenient  to 
carry  ;  that  it  keeps  cleaner  ;  that  the  titles  stamped 
on  a  bound  book  are  very  legible ;  that  a  bound  book 
can  often  be  identified  at  a  glance  ;  and  that  a  bound 
book  retains  its  position  on  the  shelf,  and,  after  being 
used,  is  easily  put  back. 

Here  is  your  material.  Is  it  well  arranged  ?  If 
you  will  consider  the  matter,  you  will  see  that  the 
answers  fall  into  three  general  groups, -- preserva- 
tion, convenience,  and  ornament,  and  that  one  or  two 


142  EXPOSITION 

of  the  points  are  matters  both  of  convenience  and  of 
preservation.     Now  let  us  arrange  these  things  :  — 

BINDING 

Preserves  books 
Easy  to  handle 
Easy  to  carry 
Easy  to  identify 
Looks  well 

This  is  what  you  would  put  on  the  blackboard ;  and, 
in  explanation,  you  might  say  the  following :  - 

A  bound  volume  lasts  longer  than  one  that  is  unbound, 
because  the  pages  are  less  likely  to  be  torn  or  crumpled  or 
soiled.  It  is  easy  to  handle,  because  it  is  compact  and  sub- 
stantial. You  can  take  it  off  the  shelf  quickly  and,  when  you 
put  it  back,  it  keeps  its  position.  You  can  tell  one  book  from 
another,  even  when  you  are  on  the  other  side  of  the  room,  and 
consequently  you  don't  have  to  hunt  for  the  book  you  want. 
Besides,  the  titles  of  a  bound  book  are  usually  plainer  than 
those  of  an  unbound  book.  And  then  a  beautifully  bound  vol- 
ume looks  very  attractive ;  nothing  makes  a  room  look  better 
than  the  presence  of  neatly  arranged,  well-bound  books. 

LESSON   88 
Write  a  theme  on  :  — 

THE  BEST  WAY  TO  STUDY 

Think  of  this  carefully.  You  yourself  have  doubt- 
less tried  many  ways  of  studying.  Some  you  have 
found  good,  others  may  have  been  total  failures. 


EXPOSITION  143 

Which  way  do  you  seriously  think  productive  of  the 
best  results  ?  Give  your  plan  first,  and  then  explain 
its  advantages.  In  preparing  this  theme,  make  a 
memorandum  of  all  the  points  that  seem  to  bear 
upon  the  subject.  Arrange  your  reasons  in  the  order 
that  seems  most  effective,  and  cut  out  those  points 
which  on  second  thought  seem  to  have  little  or  noth- 
ing to  do  with  the  precise  question,  which  is,  of 
course,  what  definite  advantages  your  plan  has.  You 
will  not  need,  for  example,  to  explain  that  study  in 
general  is  useful,  nor  probably  will  you  regard  it 
worth  while  to  tell  the  make  of  pencil  you  use,  or 
whether  your  pen  is  sharp-pointed  or  stub. 

Suppose  you  have  concluded  that  it  is  beneficial  to 
begin  your  work  at  the  same  time  every  day,  and 
always  to  take  up  your  studies  in  the  same  order,  or 
perhaps,  to  take  up  first  the  hardest  subject,  which- 
ever that  may  happen  to  be.  What  you  should 
make  clear  is  that  such  regularity  produces  definite 
advantages.  Hold  your  mind  to  this  point,  and  your 
theme  will  possess  at  least  the  virtue  of  unity  of 
purpose,  which  is  a  great  aid  to  clear  exposition. 

LESSON   89 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  offer  some  explana- 
tion of  five  of  the  following  subjects :  — 

1.  The  Various  Ways  of  Reading  a  Book. 

2.  How  to  Hunt  Rabbits. 

3.  What  Constitutes  Good  Conversation. 


144  EXPOSITION 

4.  The  Meaning  of  the  Term  "  Vantage  "  in  Tennis. 

5.  How  to  Take  Care  of  a  Horse. 

G.  How  to  Take  Care  of  a  Furnace. 

7.  How  to  Keep  Flowers  Growing  in  Winter. 

8.  How  to  Learn  to  Swini. 

9.  How  to  Play  Checkers. 

10.  How  to  Enjoy  a  Picture. 

11.  How  to  Read  the  Newspaper. 

12.  How  to  Get  up  a  Picnic. 

Do  with  these  just  as  you  did  in  Lesson  87;  that 
is,  prepare  brief  and  well-arranged  summaries,  and 
with  them  before  you,  practice  saying  aloud  the 
statements  that  seem  to  you  to  be  called  for.  The 
summaries  should  be  brought  to  the  class,  and  at  the 
teacher's  option,  they  may  be  put  upon  the  black- 
board, as  in  Less'on  87. 

LESSON   90 

Write  a  theme  on :  — 

KINDS  OF  BOOKS 

This  lesson  is  not  meant  to  apply  to  such  mechan- 
ical divisions  as  large  or  small,  bound  or  unbound, 
but  refers  to  the  nature  of  the  books  themselves. 
You  may  go  to  work  in  the  following  way :  - 

Write  down  in  a  column  all  the  kinds  of  books  that 
you  can  recall,  as,  for  instance,  histories,  dramas.  Now 
think  of  each  kind  that  you  have  put  down,  and  see 
whether  your  division  is  sensible  and  satisfying.  You 
have  doubtless  named  stories.  Do  you  mean  long  or 


EXPOSITION  145 

short  ?  Is  such  a  difference  worth  mentioning  ?  Do 
books  of  travel  and  adventure  constitute  two  classes 
or  one  ?  Unless  you  can  make  a  clear  distinction,  a 
division  is  not  worth  while ;  but  if  you  can  say  some- 
thing different  or  interesting  about  each  kind,  the 
division  is  thoroughly  worth  making.  You  may 
think  of  a  dozen  or  more  kinds ;  certainly  you  should 
be  able  to  mention  six  or  eight,  and  you  will  probably 
find  that  you  can  group  the  kinds  in  larger  divisions. 
In  writing  your  paper,  state,  if  possible,  your  prin- 
ciple of  division,  that  is,  tell  what  decides  you  to 
divide  the  books  as  you  do.  If  now  you  think  of 
larger  divisions  of  the  subject,  name  them,  subdivid- 
ing them  into  their  component  parts.  You  should 
give  three  or  four  examples  of  each  kind  of  book  you 
refer  to.  If  you  have  good  examples,  they  will  make 
your  exposition  clearer  and  stronger.  If  you  have 
irrelevant  examples,  they  will  weaken  your  expo- 
sition. See  to  it,  then,  that  your  subject  is  properly 
divided  and  subdivided,  and  that  you  have  good  ex- 
amples which  prove  the  points  that  you  wish  them 
to  prove. 

LESSON   91 

Prepare  a  talk  of  four  minutes  on  one  of  the 
following  subjects,  which  may  be  assigned  you  by  the 
teacher,  or,  at  the  teacher's  option,  chosen  by  you:  — 

1.  The  Results  of  Cutting  Down  our  Forests. 

2.  The  Effect  of  Winter  on  Birds. 

8.  &  H.  RHET.  10 


146  EXPOSITION 

3.  How  the  Seasons  Affect  Out-of-Door  Sports. 

4.  What  Constitutes  a  Good  Circus? 

5.  What  is  the  Purpose  of  Examinations  ? 

6.  In  What  Way  sis  Play  Beneficial? 


LESSON   92 

Write  a  theme  on  the  subject :  — 
CHAIRS 

Collect  your  material  as  in  Lesson  86.  Will  you 
find  it  necessary  to  say  much  about  the  uses  of  chairs  ? 
Are  these  uses  too  obvious  or  not  ?  For  instance, 
the  use  of  a  hall  chair  ?  Ought  you  to  consider  a 
dentist's  chair?  a  barber's  chair?  Shall  you  include 
theater  seats?  Are  benches  and  sofas  to  be  con- 
sidered ?  Can  you  define  a  chair  ?  At  this  point, 
write  a  definition  of  a  chair. 

Does  the  definition  you  have  just  written  include, 
or  exclude,  the  seat  of  a  swing,  a  saddle,  the  top 
board  of  a  fence  ?  What  makes  a  chair  comfortable? 
Why  do  some  people  tip  back  in  some  chairs  ?  Have 
you  a  favorite  kind  of  chair  ?  Will  it  be  worth  while 
to  mention  it  in  this  paper  ?  What  would  be  the  effect 
if  you  were  to  exchange  the  chairs  in  two  rooms  ? 

The  above  questions  are  not  stated  in  the  order  in 
which  you  can  use  them,  nor  does  it  follow  that  in  your 
theme  you  must  answer  them  all.  You  must  make  up 
your  mind  for  yourself,  after  studying  your  material, 
what  general  divisions  you  will  make  of  your  subject. 


EXPOSITION  147 

LESSON   93 

Tell  what  the  following  words  and  expressions 
mean.  When  you  do  not  know  the  exact  meaning 
of  a  word,  look  it  up  in  a  dictionary,  and  espe- 
cially look  it  up  if  you  "guess"  that  you  know  it, 
but  are  not  sure  about  it.  You  are  not  likely  to  use 
a  word  that  you  are  wholly  unfamiliar  with,  but  you 
are  very  likely  to  misuse  badly  a  word  of  whose 
meaning  you  have  a  vague  impression.  A  small 
dictionary  will  often  give  you  only  a  synonym,  and 
even  a  good  dictionary  may  give  but  a  literal  defini- 
tion which  does  not  help  you  much,  if  the  word 
happens  to  be  used  figuratively.  In  the  latter  case, 
try  to  understand  the  imagery  involved. 

In  explaining  these  words  and  expressions,  try  to 
give  equivalents  in  your  own  language,  and  also 
explain,  when  possible,  the  ideas  that  seem  to  be 
behind  the  expressions.  As  for  instance,  "He  kept 
a  stiff  upper  lip."  This  means  he  kept  his  courage 
and  self-po.ssession  in  the  presence  of  difficulties ;  for 
when  a  person  is  afraid,  or  on  the  verge  of  tears,  his 
lip  may  quiver  with  the  emotion  he  cannot  control. 

1.  Tedious. 

2.  Difficult  situation. 

3.  Popular  novel. 

4.  Flattering  portrait. 

5.  He  took  it  seriously. 

6.  A  bank  failure. 

7.  He  was  given  to  lying. 


148  EXPOSITION 

8.  I  yield  the  point. 

9.  He  was  prone  to  believe. 

10.  The  point  is  well  taken. 

11.  He  looks  through  rose-colored  spectacles. 

12.  The  man  has  a  comfortable  income. 

13.  He  could  not  contain  himself. 

14.  He  was  beside  himself. 

15.  That  is  beyond  me. 

16.  They  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace. 

17.  Castles  in  Spain. 

18.  The  evil  eye. 

19.  It  was  a  critical  moment. 

20.  He  begged  the  question. 

LESSON   94 
Write  a  theme  on :  — 

WHAT  ABE  THE  REAL  BENEFITS  OF  PLAY? 

First  of  all,  see  if  you  understand  the  meaning  of 
the  title.  There  are  two  words  of  consequence  in  it, 
benefits  and  play,  and  the  word  play  is  for  your 
purposes  the  word  that  you  must  first  understand. 
What  does  the  word  involve  ? 

You  think  of  play  most  frequently  as  the  opposite 
of  work,  but  you  also  think  of  rest  as  the  opposite  of 
work.  The  difference  between  work  and  rest  is  in 
the  matter  of  exertion,  —  activity  and  cessation  of 
activity,  —  but  play  involves  exertion,  and  hence  we 
must  elsewhere  seek  the  difference  between  play  and 
work.  The  difference  is  in  the  purpose  of  the  exer- 
tion. Why  does  one  play  ? 


EXPOSITION  149 

Now  what  does  play  include  ?  Games,  of  course  ; 
but  a  child  may  play  without  playing  a  game.  Now 
think  of  the  different  words  that  are  sometimes  used 
instead  of  play,  —  recreation,  amusement,  relaxation, 
entertainment,  pleasure,  sport,  diversion,  fun,  frolic. 
These  substitutes  for  the  word  will  help  you  to  see 
the  various  aspects  of  play.  As  you  think  about 
them  they  will  also  suggest  to  you  some  of  the  bene- 
fits, and  perhaps  also  some  of  the  detriments,  that 
arise  from  playing. 

Now  what  do  you  mean  by  a  benefit  ?  Broadly 
speaking,  something  that  does  a  person  good.  Play 
is  enjoyable,  wholesome,  exciting  :  are  these  benefits  ? 
Play  takes  up  energy  :  is  this  a  benefit  ?  It  takes  up 
time:  is  this?  Ask  yourself  as  many  questions  as 
you  can  regarding  the  way  you  feel  when  you  play. 
Have  you  noticed  good  and  bad  effects  in  your  com- 
panions ?  Do  mature  people  play  much  ? 

When  you  have  made  your  memorandum  of  all 
that  you  have  thought  of,  study  it  for  a  while  and  see 
if  you  can  express  in  a  sentence  or  two  your  chief 
idea  on  the  subject.  Next  see  in  what  order  you  can 
arrange  your  thoughts  so  as  to  bring  out  this  idea 
most  clearly.  Do  not  try  to  say  too  much  in  your 
paper:  the  subject  is  large  enough  to  fill  many  pages. 
When  the  main  idea  is  clear  in  your  mind,  try  to  ex- 
plain it  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  it  equally  clear  to 
your  classmates. 


150  EXPOSITION 

LESSON   95 

1.  The  Purity  of  the  Ballot.  5.    The  Will  of  the  People. 

2.  The  Struggle  for  Existence.  6    The  Force  of  Habit. 

3.  Senatorial  Courtesy.  7.    Enthusiasm  of  Youth. 

4.  The  Right  of  Self-Defense..  8.    Inspiration  of  the  Bible. 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  explain  the  meaning 
of  any  four  of  the  preceding  expressions.  You  will 
not  be  asked  to  tell  all  you  know,  or  may  find  out, 
about  these  subjects,  but  you  will  be  expected  to 
point  out  with  reasonable  accuracy  the  ground  the 
expressions  cover.  For  example,  consider  the  ex- 
•  pression :  — 

The   Liberty   of  the   Press. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  explain  \vhy  you  believe  or  do 
not  believe  in  the  liberty  of  the  press.  It  is  merely 
necessary  to  tell  what  the  expression  involves. 

The  press  means  the  printing  press,  and,  therefore, 
figuratively  refers  both  to  things  printed  and  to  per- 
sons that  publish.  The  liberty  of  the  press  would 
therefore  mean  the  freedom  or  privilege  of  persons  to 
publish  what  they  please.  In  our  common  usage, 
however,  by  the  press  we  mean  newspapers  rather 
than  books,  editors  rather  than  authors;  and  by  lib- 
erty we  mean  not  unrestricted  license  but  freedom 
within  the  limits  of  good  morals  and  perhaps  of  good 
taste.  The  liberty  of  the  press,  therefore,  usually 
means  the  right  of  a  newspaper  to  publish  its  news 
and  opinions  freely,  provided  they  are  not  too  often- 


EXPOSITION  151 

sive  to  the  people  in  general.  To  some  people,  how- 
ever, the  liberty  of  the  press  means  absolute  freedom 
to  publish  anything,  no  matter  how  repugnant. 

Very  obviously,  this  is  a  matter  that  might  be 
argued  at  great  length.  It  is  sufficient  at  present  to 
show  what  the  expression  means,  because,  as  you  have 
seen,  it  evidently  requires  explanation.  Argument 
about  expressions  must  be  postponed  until  you  are 
pretty  sure  you  can  tell  what  these  expressions  mean. 
This  requires  practice,  —  practice  which  you  can  have 
immediately  by  considering  the  expressions  at  the 
beginning  of  this  lesson.  If  you  can  drill  yourself  to 
clear  statement,  you  will  have  done  much  to  make 
yourself  later  a  convincing  writer  or  speaker. 

LESSON   96 
Write  a  theme  on  :  — 

How  HOUSES  ARE  HEATED 

You  should  know  by  this  time  what  to  do  first, — 
that  is,  collect  your  material.  Think  of  all  the  ways 
in  which  a  house  may  be  heatea.  Write  them  down  ; 
think  about  them ;  arrange  them  in  proper  order ; 
see  if  they  suggest  any  main'  idea  that  might  perhaps 
serve  as  an  opening  sentence  or  paragraph,  or  as 
a  concluding  paragraph.  Explain  briefly  the  good 
points  of  the  various  methods.  What  may  be  said 
against  them  ?  Do  you  see  any  relation  between 
methods  of  heating  and  the  construction  of  houses  ? 


152  EXPOSITION 

LESSON   97 

Come  to  the  class  prepared  to  explain  how  any 
three  of  the  following  games  are  played.  If  the 
class  is  large,  the  teacher  may  find  -it  convenient  to 
tell  you  which  three  you  are  to  explain. 

1.  Baseball.  7.  Prisoner's  Base. 

2.  Football.  8.  Blind  Man's  Buff. 

3.  Tennis.  9.  Duck  or  Bowlder-on. 

4.  Leap  Frog.  10.  Whist. 

5.  Basket  Ball.  11.  Shinney. 

6.  I  Spy.  12.  Hopscotch. 

The  same  game  may  have  different  names  in  dif- 
ferent places.  The  teacher  may  therefore  modify 
this  list  to  suit  local  conditions. 

The  limit  of  your  expositions  should  be  four 
minutes  each.  Think  very  carefully  about  your 
answer,  because  you  will  find  yourself  inclined 
to  tell  altogether  too  much,  to  lay  stress  upon  un- 
important things,  and  therefore  to  give  a  confused 
account.  Instead  of  thinking  just  how  the  game 
begins  and  then  what  happens  next,  think  of  the 
object  of  the  game  and  then  in  what  way  the  object 
is  to  be  attained.  In  telling  about  baseball,  for 
example,  it  will  be  better  to  tell  what  the  bases 
are  for  than  to  say,  "  The  second  base  is  one  hundred 
and  twenty-seven  feet  and  four  inches  from  the  home 
plate  "  ;  it  is  of  more  consequence  to  tell  what  a  run 
is  than  to  explain  a  double-play.  Why  ? 


EXPOSITION  153 

LESSON   98 

A  young  writer  is  sometimes  as  much  disturbed 
by  abundance  of  material  as  he  is  by  the  lack  of 
something  to  say.  Confronted  with  a  larger  subject, 
you  may  think  of  a  good  many  things,  but  they  are 
often  unrelated,  and,  as  a  consequence,  your  written 
theme  lacks  continuity  and  proportion.  Writing  of 
this  kind  is  never  satisfying  to  the  reader,  and  it  is 
still  less  satisfying  to  the  writer,  who  has  spent  his 
time  and  energy  without  adequate  return. 

Suppose,  for  instance,  you  had  determined  to  write 
a  theme  on  "  Reading."  If  you  did  not  stop  to  con- 
sider any  particular  aspect  of  the  subject,  you  would 
probably  put  down  the  first  thing  that  occurred  to 
you.  Then,  one  after  another,  you  would  write  sen- 
tences, all  bearing  on  the  subject  of  "  Reading,"  but 
not  bearing  upon  one  another.  The  result  would  be 
a  succession  of  disjointed  thoughts,  all  of  them  true, 
perhaps,  but  not  explaining  any  one  thing  satisfac- 
torily. 

Now,  on  the  other  hand,  instead  of  saying  to  your- 
self, "  Can  I  say  anything  about  Reading  ?  "  suppose 
you  say,  "  Is  there  any  view  of  this  subject  that  I 
should  like  to  explain  ?"  Do  you  think,  for  example, 
that  it  is  a  good  thing  to  read  every  day  ?  That  you 
may  profitably  take  some  light  literature  in  connec- 
tion with  more  serious  books  ?  That  it  is  injurious 
to  read  late  into  the  night  ?  That  books  help  you  to 


154  EXPOSITION 

understand  people  better  ?  That  reading  increases 
your  knowledge  of  the  world  ?  That  your  reading 
at  home  may  be  as  systematic  as  }'Our  class  study  ? 
That  reading  is  pleasant  as  well  as  profitable  ?  That 
when  you  are  studying  history,  historical  novels  are 
often  a  help  ?  That  reading  aloud  may  be  a  pleasant 
accomplishment  ? 

Now,  as  you  see,  each  one  of  these  aspects  of 
"  Reading"  gives  you  a  subject  for  at  least  one 
theme,  and  you  can  write  your  theme  on  the  partic- 
ular subject  you  choose  much  more  easily  than  upon 
the  general  subject.  Without  doubt  you  will  be  able 
to  think  of  other  particular  subjects  under  this  general 
heading,  "Reading,"  —  either  new  subjects,  or  per- 
haps subdivisions  of  those  already  made.  Try  to  add 
three  or  four  more  such  subjects. 

Bring  to  the  class  a  theme  upon  some  one  aspect 

READING 

Now,  as  it  happens,  you  will  at  present  find  it 
easier  to  think  about  your  subject,  if  instead  of  mak- 
ing a  statement  out  of  it,  you  turn  it  into  a  question. 
For  instance,  instead  of  saying,  "  Reading  Enlarges 
our  Experience,"  try,  "How  does  Reading  Enlarge 
our  Experience  ?  " 

Make  a  question  out  of  the  subject  you  have  chosen 
and  think  what  shall  be  your  answer  to  this  question. 
As  hitherto,  make  a  memorandum  of  the  points  you 
think  of,  arrange  them  in  good  order,  and  write  your 


EXPOSITION  155 

theme.  It  will  be  much  to  your  advantage,  although 
not  absolutely  essential,  if,  after  thinking  of  your  ques- 
tion, you  find  that  you  have  an  answer  which  may  be 
expressed  in  a  single  sentence.  This  is  your  general 
answer  to  the  question,  and  it  will  need  explanation. 
If  you  make  it  your  opening  sentence  and  keep  it  in 
mind,  your  entire  theme  is  likely  to  be  well  arranged. 

LESSON   99 

1.  Studying.  4.    Ships. 

2.  Roads.  5.   Food. 

3.  Conversation.  6.    Roses. 

Take  these  general  subjects,  and  draw  from  each  of 
them  at  least  six  particular  subjects,  formulated  as 
questions  precisely  in  the  way  that  was  explained  to 
you  in  the  preceding  lesson.  See  what  each  subject 
involves.  Do  not  be  satisfied  with  the  first  questions 
that  come  into  your  head,  but  make  sure,  so  far  as 
you  can,  that  your  subjects  or  questions  deal  with  the 
most  important,  or  the  most  interesting,  aspects  of 
the  general  subject.  Your  questions  need  not  always 
contain  the  actual  word  which  stands  for  the  general 
subject :  you  may  have  noticed  in  the  questions  about 
reading  that  the  word  itself  did  not  always  occur. 

Bring  to  the  class  your  list  of  questions.  At  the 
teacher's  option,  there  may  be  placed  upon  the  black- 
board, under  the  head  of  any  general  subject,  a  com- 
plete list  of  particular  questions,  drawn  from  the 
entire  class.  As  each  new  subject  is  placed  upon 


156  EXPOSITION 

the  blackboard,  it  will  be  your  task  to  say  whether 
the  question  is  really  new  or  has  already  been  stated 
in  other  words. 

LESSON   100 

Write  an  exposition  of  any  one  of  the  questions 
called  forth  during  the  recitation  of  Lesson  98. 
Make  sure  that  you  understand  the  subject  thor- 
oughly, and  see  whether  you  can  improve  the  wording 
of  your  title,  making  it  more  explicit  if  necessary. 
Make  an  outline,  and  keep  it  in  sight  and  in  mind 
throughout.  Now,  as  before,  see  whether  your  answer 
to  the  question  can  be  summed  up  briefly  and  used  as 
the  beginning  or  the  closing  sentence.  It  will  not, 
indeed,  be  amiss,  if  each  member  of  the  class  begins 
his  theme  thus :  — 

TITLE —  (State  the  question.) 

Regarding  this  question,  what  I  wish  to  say  is  this :  — 
(State  your  answer ;  then  go  011  to  explain  it.) 

LESSON   101 
Here  are  three  general  subjects :  - 

1.  EDUCATION. 

2.  CHOICE  OF  A  PROFESSION. 

3.  HOUSEKEEPING. 

Take  any  one  of  these  and  draw  from  it  at  least 
three  particular  subjects  or  titles,  preferably  in  ques- 
tion form. 


EXPOSITION  157 

Now,  taking  each  one  of  these  titles,  outline  on 
paper  an  exposition  of  the  subject,  just  as  you  did  in 
the  preceding  lesson.  Your  outline  should  contain 
enough  to  let  any  reader  know  what  your  explanation 
is  going  to  be,  and,  as  before,  you  should  if  possible 
get  the  gist  of  your  explanation  into  one  sentence. 
This  sentence  is  the  only  one  you  need  to  write  out 
at  length  ;  the  rest  of  the  outline  may  consist  of 
separate  words  or  phrases.  Here,  for  instance,  is  an 
example  of  what  you  are  to  do. 

General  Subject :  —  TRAVEL. 
Three  particular  subjects  :  - 

1.  Is  Travel  Beneficial  ? 

2.  When  is  a  Good  Time  to  Travel  ? 

3.  Is  Travel  Costly  ? 

Outline  of  one  particular    subject :  — 

Travel  is  a  benefit  to  any  one  who  travels  with  an  open 

mind. 

Change  from  familiar  scenes. 
New  faces. 
New  customs. 
Scenery. 
Pleasures. 
Sight-seeing. 
Knowing  more  of  the  world,  therefore  better  able  to  judge 

things  intelligently. 

Prejudiced  persons  disposed  to  grumble. 
See  no  good  in  strange  things. 
Return  unimproved. 


158  EXPOSITION 

Make  your  three  outlines  in  some  such  way  as  this, 
study  them  carefully,  and  come  to  the  class  prepared 
to  discuss  any  point  in  any  one  of  the  outlines. 

LESSON    102 

Taking  the  general  subject 

BUSINESS 

get  from  it  a  particular  question.  Make  an  outline, 
and  write  an  exposition  in  accordance  with  the  in- 
structions you  have  already  received. 

LESSON    103 

Good  exposition  has  these  characteristics:  — 

1.  Exposition  should  be  clear. 

2.  It  should  state  the  point  at  the  outset. 

3.  It  should  be  arranged  in  an  orderly  way. 

4.  Its  transitions  should  be  clear. 

5.  It  should  be  comprehensive. 

6.  Where  needed,  it  should  give  examples. 

7.  It  should  lay  stress  on  important  points. 

8.  It  should  omit  unessential  points. 

9.  It  should  be  fair-minded,  accurate,  logical. 
10.  If  at  all  long,  it  should  summarize  effectively. 

Study  the  following  specimens  of  exposition  and 
tell  whether  they  are  successful  examples  of  the 
form :  — 


EXPOSITION  159 

In  this  book  the  author  has  aimed  at  popularity.  He  has 
felt  sympathy  with  the  many  who  have  no  time  to  read  the 
large  and  comprehensive  histories  of  the  United  States,  and 
has  tried  to  give  a  well-written,  clear,  and  justly  proportioned 
account  in  a  single  volume.  He  has  aimed  to  make  an  inter- 
esting book,  too,  one  which  shall  eschew  dry  details,  and  deal 
with  incidents  of  general  or  permanent  importance.  In  the 
treatment  of  controverted  topics,  such  as  the  Eevolution,  slav- 
ery, and  the  Civil  War,  he  has  earnestly  sought  impartiality. 
He  modestly  disclaims  pretense  of  original  scholarship,  but  has 
drawn  freely  on  the  best  secondary  material.  .  .  .  Whatever 
its  shortcomings,  it  is  the  most  notable  attempt  yet  made  to 
tell  in  moderate  compass  the  whole  story  of  American  history. 

-  The  Nation,  vol.  79,  2036. 

•  That  man,  I  think,  has  had  a  liberal  education,  who  has 
been  so  trained  in  youth  that  his  body  is  the  ready  servant  of 
his  will,  and  does  with  ease  and  pleasure  all  the  work  that,  as 
a  mechanism,  it  is  capable  of;  whose  intellect  is  a  clear,  cold, 
logic  engine,  with  all  its  parts  of  equal  strength,  and  in  smooth 
working  order;  ready,  like  a  steam  engine,  to  be  turned  to  any 
kind  of  workj  and  spin  the  gossamers,  as  well  as  forge  the 
anchors  of  the  mind ;  whose  mind  is  stored  with  a  knowledge 
of  the  great  and  fundamental  truths  of  Nature,  and  of  the  laws 
of  her  operations ;  one  who,  no  stunted  ascetic,  is  full  of  life 
and  fire,  but  whose  passions  are  trained  to  come  to  heel  by  a 
vigorous  will,  the  servant  of  a  tender  conscience;  who  has 
learned  to  love  all  beauty,  whether  of  Nature  or  of  art,  to  hate 
all  vileness,  and  to  respect  others  as  himself. 

—  HUXLEY,  A  Liberal  Education.1 

The  one  drawback  to  American  hospitality  is  that  it  is  apt 
to  be  too  profuse.  I  have  more  than  once  had  to  offer  a  mild 
protest  against  being  entertained  by  a  hard-working  brother 

1  From  Huxley's  Essays,  reprinted  by  permission  of  D.  Appleton  & 
Company. 


160  EXPOSITION 

journalist  on  a  scale  that  would  have  befitted  a  millionaire. 
The  possibility  of  returning  the  compliment  in  kind  affords 
the  canny  Scot  but  poor  consolation.  A  dinner  three  times 
more  lavish  and  expensive  than  you  want  is  not  sweetened  by 
the  thought  that  you  may,  in  turn,  give  your  host  a  dinner 
three  times  more  expensive  and  lavish  than  he  wants.  Both 
parties,  on  this  system,  suffer  in  digestion  and  in  pocket,  while 
only  Delmonico  is  the  gainer.  _  WlLLIAM  ARCHER,  America. 

He  [Goldsmith]  was,  indeed,  emphatically  a  popular 
writer.  For  accurate  research  or  grave  disquisition  he  was 
not  well  qualified  by  nature  or  by  education.  He  knew 
nothing  accurately :  his  reading  had  been  desultory ;  nor  had 
he  meditated  deeply  on  what  he  had  read.  He  had  seen  much 
of  the  world ;  but  he  had  noticed  and  retained  little  more  of 
what  he  had  seen  than  some  grotesque  incidents  and  characters 
which  had  happened  to  strike  his  fancy.  But  though  his  mind 
was  very  scantily  stored  with  materials,  he  used  what  materials 
he  had  in  such  a  way  as  to  produce  a  wonderful  effect.  There 
have  been  many  greater  writers,  but  perhaps  no  writer  was 
ever  more  uniformly  agreeable.  His  style  was  always  pure 
and  easy,  and,  on  proper  occasions,  pointed  and  energetic. 
His  narratives  were  always  amusing,  his  descriptions  always 
picturesque,  his  humor  rich  and  joyous,  yet  not  without  an 
occasional  tinge  of  amiable  sadness.  About  everything  he 
wrote,  serious  or  sportive,  there  was  a  certain  natural  grace  and 
decorum.  ...  __  MACAULATi  Oliver  Goldsmith. 

Have  you  ever  noticed,  that  as  a  rule,  the  students  who  do 
the  least  work  seem  to  have  the  least  time  for  themselves? 
They  are  always  hurried,  they  "haven't  time"  to  do  outside 
reading,  or  to  belong  to  literary  societies ;  and  they  are  always 
saying,  "  I've  got  a  lot  of  work  to  do,"  and  never,  "  I've  just 
done  all  my  work."  They  don't  accomplish  very  much,  how- 
ever, and  the  little  that  they  do  seems  to  take  up  all  their  time 


EXPOSITION  161 

and  energy.     I  think  the  difficulty  is  that  they  don't  know 
how  to  study. 

I  know  some  students,  of  a  different  type,  who  have  pretty 
regular  hours  for  study,  and  who,  in  these  hours,  not  merely 
work,  but  work  hard.  They  gain  a  good  deal  by  being 
methodical,  but  they  gain  still  more  by  concentrating  their 
attention  on  the  matter  in  hand.  Thus  they  save  time,  and 
the  time  saved  is  their  own.  So  I  sometimes  think  that  the 
best  students  have  the  most  time  for  themselves,  after  all. 

I  have  at  last  found  out  how  to  be  on  time.  I  often  used 
to  be  tardy  in  spite  of  my  desperate  efforts  not  to  be.  Some- 
times I  have  gone  without  breakfast,  and  many  times  I  have 
run  all  the  way  to  school  regardless  of  appearances  or  of 
digestion.  My  one  idea  was  to  be  on  time,  and  siinple  as  the 
matter  seems,  it  was  to  me  one  of  the  most  difficult  of  things. 
But  one  day  the  thought  struck  me,  "  Why  not  be  ahead  of 
time?"  I  tried  the  plan,  and  found  that  it  worked.  Instead 
of  trying  to  be  in  the  schoolroom  exactly  at  the  appointed 
hour,  I  now  try  to  be  there  five  minutes  before  the  hour.  The 
result  is  that  I  never  feel  hurried,  for  the  sense  of  having  the 
five  minutes'  margin  frees  me  from  worry,  and  even  if  I  have 
to  walk  fast  once  in  a  while,  I  have  plenty  of  time  to  quiet 
down  and  cool  off  and  begin  the  day's  work  calmly.  Besides, 
on  the  two  or  three  occasions  when  something  unforeseen  has 
delayed  me,  at  home  or  on  the  way,  my  five  minutes'  margin 
has  saved  me.  Accordingly,  my  advice  to  you  is :  Don't  try  to 
be  just  on  time;  give  yourself  a  margin,  —  you'll  find  it  pays. 

Kate.  What  I  never  can,  and  never  shall,  understand,  is 
why  Gertrude  Harris  didn't  go  to  Europe  when  she  had  the 
chance.  Think  of  it !  There  was  that  money  her  aunt  left  to 
her  to  do  as  she  pleased  with,  and  she  had  been  talking  about 
Europe  always,  and  everybody  thought  she  would  go,  and  in- 
stead of  that,  she  stayed  at  home. 
Janet.  Well? 

S.   &  H.   KHET.  — 11 


162  EXPOSITION 

Kate.  When  any  one  asks  her  now  when  she  is  going  to 
Europe,  she  only  says,  "  I  can't  afford  it."  So  that  shows  that 
she  must  have  used  the  money  for  something  else.  She's  too 
unselfish  to  spend  it  on  herself  without  telling  about  it. 

Janet.     You  are  a  real  friend  of  hers,  aren't  you  ? 

Kate.     I  hope  so. 

Janet.  I  know  what  she  did  with  the  money.  It's  not  a 
secret,  although  Gertrude  has  never  breathed  a  word.  My 
father  told  me  about  it  the  other  day.  Last  month  he  finished 
settling  the  estate  of  Gertrude's  father  and  told  me  he  thought 
I  ought  to  know  what  one  of  my  schoolmates  had  done. 

Kate.     Please  tell  me.     I'll  never  tell  any  one. 

Janet.  You  needn't  keep  still  about  it.  Father  said  he'd 
be  glad  if  I'd  tell. 

Kate.     Go  on. 

Janet.  When  Gertrude's  father  died,  he  left  enough  ready 
money  to  pay  all  his  debts  except  one  of  several  hundred  dollars. 
To  settle  this  they  would  have  had  to  mortgage  their  home. 
Now  rather  than  have  the  property  mortgaged,  Gertrude  went 
to  father  and  insisted  that  he  pay  the  debt  with  the  money 
that  she  was  intending  to  use  for  her  trip  to  Europe. 

Kate.     No ! 

Janet.  Father  said  he  hoped  they  might  arrange  it  in  some 
other  way;  but  Gertrude  wouldn't  listen  to  it.  She  wanted 
things  straightened  out  so  that  her  mother  would  have  every- 
thing clear. 

Kate.     What  did  your  father  say  ? 

Janet.  He  told  Gertrude  how  brave  she  was,  and  she  only 
answered,  "There  is  nothing  brave  about  it;  it's  the  only  thing 
I  could  do."  And  that's  why  she  didn't  go  to  Europe. 

Kate.     It  seems  to  me  she's  a  real  heroine. 

LESSON   104 

Write  an  exposition  upon  any  subject  you  please. 
Discuss  something  in  which  3^011  are  really  interested. 


ARGUMENTATION 

LESSON   105 

We  are  now  to  take  up  the  subject  of  argumenta- 
tion. This  is  really  a  phase  of  exposition.  Exposition 
differs  from  argumentation,  —  that  is  to  say,  ex- 
plaining differs  from  arguing,  in  just  this  respect :  in 
exposition  you  explain  what  a  subject  means,  and 
stop ;  while  in  argumentation  you  seek  to  show  that 
your  way  of  thinking  is  better  than  any  other.  Some- 
times, of  course,  a  clear  exposition  is  also  an  absolute 
argument,  —  the  facts  speak  for  themselves;  but  in 
many  cases,  the  facts,  after  they  have  been  explained, 
seem  to  permit  several  courses  of  action,  and  naturally 
you  may  wish  to  make  others  approve  the  course  that 
you  advise.  Briefly,  then,  exposition  in  general  makes 
a  question  clear ;  argumentation  in  general  gives 
reasons  for  taking  one  side  of  the  question.  For  ex- 
ample, in  the  subject  — 

TREES 

a  question  for  exposition  is  — 

WHAT  ARE  TREES  ? 
and  a  question  for  argumentation  is  — 

OUGHT  SHADE  TREES  TO  BE  PLANTED  CLOSE  TO 

A  DWELLING  ? 

163 


164  ARGUMENTATION 

You  cannot  argue  well  unless  you  know  how  to 
explain :  argument  is  exposition  brought  to  bear  on 
your  side  of  the  question. 

Let  us  look  at  the  following  situation :  - 

After  a  slow  night  train  had  passed  a  station  and  had  gone 
on  a  side  track  to  let  a  fast  train  pass  in  the  same  direction, 
it  was  the  operator's  duty  to  watch  for  the  signal  that  the  slow 
train  had  been  side-tracked,  and  thereupon  to  display  a  clear- 
track  signal  to  the  express  train.  The  operator  fell  asleep 
on  duty,  did  not  see  the  slow  train  signal,  and  failed  to  show 
the  signal,  "  clear  track."  As  it  happened,  the  brakeman  of  the 
slow  train  forgot  to  close  the  switch  after  his  train  had  gone 
on  the  siding,  yet  he  signaled  to  the  operator  that  every- 
thing was  all  right.  The  fast  train,  which  was  scheduled  to 
make  no  stop,  approached  at  the  rate  of  sixty  miles  an  hour. 
The  engineer  perceived  the  absence  of  the  clear-track  signal, 
and.  brought  the  train  to  a  standstill  just  before  coming  to 
the  open  switch.  Had  the  operator  been  awake,  he  would 
have  seen  the  signal  of  the  slow  train,  he  would  have  displayed 
the  clear-track  signal,  the  fast  train  would  have  turned  at 
full  speed  into  the  side  track,  and  would  have  collided  with 
the  standing  train.  A  terrible  loss  of  life  was  thus,  as  it 
happened,  averted  by  the  fact  that  the  operator  had  gone  to 
sleep  on  duty. 

So  much  explains  the  situation,  without  taking 
sides.  Now  then,  give  an  answer  to  this  question: 

OUGHT  THE  OPERATOR  TO  BE  DISCHARGED  ? 

It  is  a  practical  question,  admitting  discussion. 
Explain  your  reasons ;  or  in  other  words,  write  an 
argument  in  favor  of  your  decision.  Don't  explain 
the  situation  again ;  assume  that  your  reader  is  in 


ARGUMENTATION  165 

possession  of  the  facts,  but  is  in  doubt  which  side  to 
take.  Try  to  convince  such  a  reader  that  your  view 
is  the  right  one. 

LESSON   106 

Prepare  to  give  an  oral  statement,  not  exceeding 
four  minutes,  of  your  reasons  for  saying  Yes  or  No 
to  the  following  question  :  — 

SHOULD  NEWSPAPER  READING  BE  ENCOURAGED  ? 

You  are  not  expected  to  be  in  possession  of  all 
the  knowledge  that  this  subject  involves.  It  is  fair, 
however,  to  assume  that  you  will  consider  the  matter, 
and  give  your  reasons  sincerely  and  temperately. 
First  of  all,  consider  what  the  question  means.  Peo- 
ple read  newspapers  a  great  deal.  Do  you  think  it 
would  be  wise  to  read  newspapers  more  or  to  read 
them  less?  You  will  probably  say  that  it  depends 
upon  the  way  people  read  them.  Well,  how  do  peo- 
ple read  them  ?  Put  in  words,  as  clearly  as  you  can, 
your  answer  to  that  question. 

Now,  should  such  reading  as  you  have  described  be 
encouraged  ?  In  thinking  about  the  subject,  you  will 
remember  that  newspapers  deal  with  many  subjects, 
little  and  great,  that  the  information  is  sometimes 
accurate  and  sometimes  inaccurate,  and  that  in  any 
event,  newspapers  are  a  necessity.  But  do  we  read 
newspapers  too  little  ?  Do  we  read  them  too  much  ? 
Be  perfectly  free  to  say  what  you  think.  Your  argu- 


166  ARGUMENTATION 

mentation  is  tentative,  —  you  won't  settle  questions, 
-  but  in  time  you  may  learn  to  argue  to  more  pur- 
pose.    Make  a  careful  outline  of  the  points  on  your 
side,  and  practice  your  brief  argument  several  times. 

LESSON   107 

Write  an  argument  in  support  of  your  answer  to 
the  following  question  :  — 

OUGHT  WE  TO  HAVE  Six  SCHOOL  DAYS  A  WEEK? 

This  proposition  needs  no  explanation.  For  some 
reason,  there  are  usually  but  five  school  days  in  the 
week.  When  you  have  thought  about  your  side  of 
the  case,  try  to  think  what  may  be  said  on  the  other 
side.  There  is  no  better  way  of  making  a  good  argu- 
ment than  by  imagining  what  a  strong  opponent 
would  say  against  you.  Try  to  see  whether  all  the 
reasons  that  you  advance  are  good  arguments.  For 
example,  it  is  not  a  good  argument  to  say,  "I  don't 
want  to  come  six  days."  But  if  you  try  to  find  the 
reasons  for  your  likes  or  dislikes,  you  may  often  dis- 
cover an  argument.  Remember,  also,  that  a  dignified 
argument  carries  more  weight  than  a  violent  one,  and 
that  one  good  reason  is  worth  more  than  several  poor 
ones.  Make  up  your  mind  whether  you  had  better 
rest  your  case  on  one  point  or  on  several.  If  the 
former,  you  should  take  care  to  make  it  very  clear 
and  effective,  for  your  whole  case  depends  upon  it. 


ARGUMENTATION  167 

LESSON   108 

Prepare  an  oral  argument  of  not  more  than  four 
minutes  on  one  of  the  following  questions :  — 

Is  FOOTBALL  BENEFICIAL? 

Is  IT  DESIRABLE  THAT  WOMEN  SHOULD  VOTE? 

ARE  STRIKES  JUSTIFIABLE  ? 

Do  not,  in  this  lesson,  spend  too  much  time  in  mak- 
ing a  choice.  On  all  of  the  questions  you  have  some 
ideas,  and  none  of  the  questions  will  you  be  able  to 
treat  exhaustively. 

You  will  find  it  advantageous  to  put  down  in  writ- 
ing a  brief  statement  of  each  reason  ;  and  your 
opening  sentence,  in  such  a  brief  argument,  should 
declare  your  position.  Thus  — 

I  think  that  football  is  not  beneficial.  First,  it 
takes  up  too  much  time.  [Explain  this.]  My  second 
reason  is  — .  [Give  it.]  My  third  reason  is  — . 
[Give  it.]  And  so  on,  giving  your  other  reasons. 

As  in  the  previous  lesson,  keep  in  mind  that  a 
reason  which  sounds  well  to  you,  when  stated  by  it- 
self may  seem  very  weak,  if  some  one  on  the  other 
side  puts  his  arguments  strongly.  Try  to  avoid  points 
of  minor  consequence,  and  stick  to  the  question. 
When  speaking  in  the  class,  you  may,  if  necessary, 
consult  your  memorandum  of  reasons,  but  your  speech 
will  be  more  effective,  if  you  are  so  familiar  with 
your  subject  as  to  need  no  notes.  But  since  your 


168  ARGUMENTATION 

whole  argument  is  the  important  thing,  you  must 
make  sure  somehow  that  you  do  not  omit  a  point 
through  overconfidence. 

LESSON   109 

Probably  the  ideal  question  for  argument  would  be 
one  in  which  the  two  sides  are  almost  equally  bal- 
anced, where  the  reasons  on  each  side  seem  plausible; 
but  in  actual  life  not  only  must  we  concern  ourselves 
with  questions  upon  which  there  may  be  a  fair  differ- 
ence of  opinion  (such  are  questions  regarding  the 
tariff,  municipal  ownership,  declarations  of  war,  and, 
in  general,  all  questions  that  divide  men  into  two 
great  parties),  but  far  more  frequently  we  must 
consider  questions  which,  to  a  wise  man,  have  but 
one  side,  —  questions  in  which  fact  is  not  opposed  to 
fact,  but  to  prejudice,  superstition,  and  ignorance. 

In  dealing  with  such  questions  argumentatively, 
even  though  you  think  the  other  side  is  totally  wrong, 
you  must  present  your  reasons  with  as  much  care  and 
courtesy  as  if  the  other  side  were  as  likely  as  you  to 
be  right.  Let  us  consider  some  questions  which  have 
doubtless  but  one  answer.  Write  an  argument  on 
either  of  the  following  subjects :  — 

OUGHT  ONE  TO  SLEEP  WITH  THE  BEDROOM  WINDOW 

OPEN? 

SHOULD    A    COMMUNITY    ISOLATE    CASES    OF    CONTA- 
GIOUS DISEASE  ? 


ARGUMENTATION  169 

Choose  your  side  of  the  question,  and  then  make 
an  outline  of  all  the  things  that  can  be  said  against 
your  view.  Be  as  fair  as  you  can  in  this  matter. 
Remember  that  although  the  case  seems  clear  to  you, 
many  persons,  by  their  practice,  show  themselves  to 
be  on  the  other  side.  How  are  you  going  to  convince 
these  persons  ?  Now  answer  these  -objections  orally 
one  by  one.  Do  your  reasons  seem  convincing  ?  Can 
you  do  anything  more  than  answer  the  objections? 
Have  you  any  further  reasons  ? 

Now  make  an  outline  of  your  argument,  trying  to 
arrange  your  material  effectively.  In  writing  out 
your  argument,  be  temperate  rather  than  violent. 
End  with  some  statement  that  seems  to  you  not 
easily  to  be  controverted. 

LESSON   110 

OUGHT  WE  TO  DISCOURAGE  SPORTS  IN  WHICH  THERE 
is  AN  ELEMENT  OF  DANGER  ? 

Prepare  an  argument  to  be  given  orally  on  the 
above  question.  First  make  a  list  of  eight  or  ten 
sports,  waiving  any  close  distinction  between  a  sport 
and  a  game,  and  let  us  suppose  that  your  list  includes 
swimming,  skating,  football,  and  skipping  the  rope. 
Go  through  your  list,  asking  yourself  what  are  the 
chief  dangers  in  each  sport.  As  you  think  about  the 
matter,  do  these  dangers  seem  sufficient  to  warrant 
discouraging  the  sport  ?  You  may,  perhaps,  conclude 


170  ARGUMENTATION 

that  one  sport  is  so  dangerous  as  to  warrant  its 
abolition,  that  in  another  the  element  of  danger  is  so 
slight  as  almost  to  be  negligible. 

As  you  thus  get  further  into  your  subject,  your  own 
belief  in  the  matter  will  become  clearer.  Try  to  put 
this  belief  into  the  shape  of  some  general  proposition 
that  you  are  willing  to  defend.  Think  of  the  reasons 
you  can  advance  in  support  of  this  proposition. 
Think  also  what  may  be  said  against  it,  and  consider 
your  answers  to  these  objections.  Now  make  an  out- 
line, properly  arranged,  of  your  reasons.  Your  argu- 
ment, when  given  in  the  class,  should  not  exceed  four 
minutes. 

LESSON    111 

Is  IT  OUR  DUTY  TO  RE  CHEERFUL? 

Write  an  argument  on  this  question.  Think  of  the 
subject  carefully  before  you  choose  your  side.  Think 
of  the  effect  of  cheerfulness  upon  others  and  upon 
the  cheerful  person  himself.  Think  also  how  much 
is  implied  in  the  word  duty.  Not  all  desirable  things 
are  obligatory,  but  some  of  them  are.  For  instance, 
there  is  an  obligation  upon  us  to  be  honest  and  truth- 
ful ;  there  is  not  the  same  sort  of  obligation  upon  us 
to  be  wise  and  generous,  however  desirable  this  would 
be.  What  do  you  think  about  cheerfulness  from  this 
point  of  view?  Now  draw  up  your  outline  as  hitherto 
and  write  your  theme. 


ARGUMENTATION  171 

LESSON    112 
SHOULD  ATTENDANCE  AT  SCHOOL  BE  COMPULSORY? 

Prepare  an  oral  argument  on  this  question.  In 
some  states  there  is  a  compulsory  law,  in  other  states 
not.  Many  persons  are  not  convinced  that  there 
should  be  such  a  law.  Can  you  say  anything  to 
convince  them?  On  the  other  hand,  feel  perfectly 
free  to  argue  on  the  negative  side  of  the  question, 
if  the  stronger  reasons  seem  to  you  to  be  on  that 
side. 

It  will  be  worth  while,  though  not  necessary,  for 
you  to  consult  some  older  person.  Think  about  what 
he  says,  and  then  form  your  own  opinion.  Think  of 
what  would  be  the  results,  if  the  whole  country  were 
in  agreement  either  for  or  against  the  proposition. 

Make  your  outline  as  usual.  Your  speech  in  the 
class  should  not  exceed  three  minutes. 

LESSON   113 
OUGHT  THERE  TO  BE  FREEDOM  OF  THE  PRESS? 

Write  an  argument  on  this  question.  First,  read 
carefully  what  was  said  in  Lesson  95.  The  subject 
as  there  explained  offered  possibilities  of  argument. 
This  is  the  place  to  argue  the  question.  It  is  often 
a  good  way,  in  preparing  an  argument,  to  make  a 
parallel  list  of  pros  and  cons.  Draw  a  line  down  the 


172  ARGUMENTATION 

center  of  a  sheet  of  paper,  heading  one  column,  FOR, 
and  the  other,  AGAINST.  Now  briefly  name  all  the 
reasons  you  can  think  of  in  favor  of  the  proposition. 
Side  by  side  with  these,  in  the  other  column,  write  the 
objections  that  may  be  made  against  each  affirmative 
reason,  and  add  also  other  negative  reasons,  if  such 
exist.  Study  the  parallel  columns  carefully  and  see 
which  side  of  the  question  convinces  you. 

In  making  your  outline,  change  the  order  of  the 
reasons,  if  you  think  best.  Hand  in  your  outline 
with  the  theme. 

LESSON   114 

OUGHT  POORHOUSES  TO  BE   MADE  COMFORTABLE  AND 
ATTRACTIVE  ? 

DOES  THE  CITY  BETTER  PREPARE  A  YOUNG   PERSON 

FOR    LIFE   THAN    DOES   THE    COUNTRY? 

Taking  the  above  questions,  make  for  each  a  list  of 
pros  and  cons,  in  the  manner  of  the  preceding  lesson. 
Have  your  lists  as  exhaustive  as  possible,  and  put  your 
affirmative  and  negative  arguments  side  by  side  so 
that  the  teacher  may  see  at  a  glance  all  that  you 
have  to  say  on  each  particular  point.  Be  prepared, 
when  called  upon,  to  make  a  clear  statement  of  any 
point  you  have  mentioned. 

Some  of  these  lists  may  be  placed  upon  the  black- 
board at  the  teacher's  option,  and  discussed  by  the 
class. 


ARGUMENTATION  173 

LESSON     115 

OUGHT  THERE  TO  BE  EXAMINATIONS? 

Write  an  argument  on  this  subject.  Make  a  list 
of  pros  and  cons,  trying  to  think  of  each  side  of  the 
question.  Consider  the  purpose  of  the  examination 
as  well  as  the  fact  that  it  is  a  task,  and  then  ask 
yourself  whether  this  purpose  is  best  fulfilled  by  an 
examination,  and  whether  there  may  not  be  other 
ways  of  accomplishing  the  same  result.  It  will  not 
serve  as  a  reason  against  examinations,  that  you 
merely  dislike  them ;  nor  as  a  reason  in  their  favor, 
that  they  are  easy  to  you.  Their  purpose  may  or 
may  not  be  a  good  one ;  they  may  or  may  not  fulfill 
that  purpose :  these  are  the  points  for  you  to  deter- 
mine. 

From  your  parallel  list,  make  your  usual  outline. 
Hand  in  both  the  list  and  the  outline  with  your  theme. 

LESSON   116 

SHOULD  A  WOMAN  BE  TRAINED  TO  EARN  HER  OWN 

LIVING  ? 

SHOULD  THERE  BE  A  PROPERTY  QUALIFICATION  FOR 
VOTERS  ? 

Prepare  an  oral  argument  on  either  of  the  above 
questions,  making  your  parallel  list  and  your  outline, 
and  bringing  the  latter  to  the  class.  These  are  ques- 


174  ARGUMENTATION 

tions  about  which  you  may  profitably  consult  older 
people.  After  such  consultation,  try  to  determine 
whether  the  arguments  you  have  heard  are  good  ones. 
Sometimes  a  person  who  is  on  the  right  side  of  a 
question  may  give  a  very  poor  reason  for  his  belief ; 
and  further,  a  very  important  reason  may  be  merely 
touched  upon  and  not  explained.  You  must  not 
depend  too  much  on  the  views  of  others ;  you  should 
listen  to  these  views,  and  then  you  must  do  your  own 
thinking.  Indeed,  if  you  feel  so  inclined,  you  will  find 
it  a  most  useful  exercise  to  prepare  a  brief  summary  of 
the  best  argument  you  have  heard,  and  after  studying 
the  summary,  make  the  best  argument  you  can  on  the 
other  side. 

The  teacher  will  receive  your  outlines  before  the 
recitation  begins  and  may  call  upon  you  to  defend 
any  point  you  have  made. 

LESSON   117 

Is  IT  RIGHT  TO  GIVE  FOOD  TO  TRAMPS? 
ARE  FASHIONS  IN  DRESS  WORTH  FOLLOWING  ? 

Write  an  argument  on  one  of  the  above  subjects. 
You  will  find  that  the  questions  are  more  significant 
than  they  seem  to  be  at  first  thought  and  that  it  may 
not  be  an  easy  matter  to  choose  your  side.  Draw  up 
your  parallel  list,  and  consider  closely  each  point  for 
and  against  the  proposition.  Endeavor  always  to  be 
fair-minded  and  to  give  due  consideration  to  the 


ARGUMENTATION  175 

opposing  arguments  that  seem  to  you  strongest.  It 
produces  a  bad  effect  when  you  use  much  space  to 
refute  a  poor  argument,  or  when  you  dismiss  hastily 
a  good  argument  made  by  your  opponent. 

LESSON    118 
GOOD  ROADS 

Prepare  an  oral  argument  upon  some  phase  of  this 
subject.  That  is  to  say,  as  in  Lessons  98-99,  think 
of  what  the  subject  means,  and  whether  it  may  not 
be  divided  into  a  number  of  smaller  subjects.  After 
such  consideration  of  the  nature  of  the  question, 
determine  upon  some  statement  concerning  it  that 
you  feel  ready  to  defend.  Your  statement  may  range 
from  the  general,  as  — 

ROADS  SHOULD  BE  KEPT  IN  EXCELLENT  CONDITION 
to  the  particular,  as  — 

IT  is  UNWISE  TO  MACADAMIZE ROAD 

(Insert  the  name  of  a  certain  road.) 

No  small  part  of  the  skill  of  a  good  writer  or  a  good 
speaker  lies  in  his  ability  to  select  his  subject ;  he  is 
careful  not  to  deal  with  a  subject  beyond  his  power. 
And  in  like  manner,  it  will  be  to  your  own  advantage 
to  learn  to  pick  out  of  a  general  subject  that  part  of 
it  which  best  fits  in  with  your  own  intellectual 
capacity.  In  the  present  subject  that  you  are  choosing, 


176  ARGUMENTATION 

you  should  try,  on  the  one  hand,  not  to  get  out 
of  your  depth,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  not  to  take  so 
self-evident  a  proposition  as  would  require  no  prepa- 
ration on  your  part.  Choose  a  subject  about  Good 
Roads  that  will  force  you  to  think  a  little  in  order  to 
produce  a  convincing  argument.  If  you  cannot  argue 
convincingly  to  yourself,  then  probably  your  propo- 
sition is  too  broad,  and  you  should  narrow  it. 

It  will  be  easier  for  you  to  discuss  the  subject,  and 
your  conclusions  will  be  fairer,  if  you  keep  in  mind 
that  there  are  other  points  of  view  than  your  own. 
The  mere  fact  that  you  live  in  the  country,  or  in 
a  town,  may  seriously  limit  your  treatment  of  this 
question.  Try  to  look  at  the  matter  from  all  sides. 

Make  a  parallel  list  and  an  outline,  as  hitherto,  and 
bring  the  outline  to  the  class.  Be  able  to  say  what 
you  have  to  say  within  three  minutes.  Outlines,  at 
the  teacher's  option,  may  be  placed  upon  the  black- 
board and  discussed  by  the  class. 

LESSON    119 

CONDEMNATION  OF  PRIVATE  PROPERTY  FOR  PUBLIC 
PURPOSES 

Write  an  argument  in  defense  of  some  proposition 
chosen  by  yourself  from  the  above  subject.  First, 
consider  what  the  subject  involves,  —  for  example, 
the  condemnation  of  houses  on  a  plot  of  ground 
required  for  a  government  building,  or  of  a  strip  of 


ARGUMENTATION  177 

land  through  which  a  railroad  is  to  pass.  Then  con- 
sider the  general  principle  involved,  —  that  public 
needs  take  precedence  over  personal  rights.  Do  you 
think  that  this  principle  is  valid  ?  Has  a  person  ever 
a  right  to  block  the  execution  of  a  proposed  change 
which  is  obviously  a  real  improvement  ?  When,  out 
of  a  score  of  persons  in  practically  the  same  position, 
only  one  man  holds  out  against  the  improvement, 
is  it  fair  to  assume  that  he  is  right  ?  Is  it  fair  to 
assume  that  he  is  wrong?  From  these  questions 
and  from  others  that  may  occur  to  you  as  you  con- 
sider the  matter,  you  may,  without  great  difficulty, 
draw  up  a  statement  that  seems  to  you  to  be 
defensible. 

Perhaps  in  making  your  parallel  list  of  pros  and 
cons  you  may  find  it  necessary  to  narrow  your  sub- 
ject, or  you  may  find  that  you  can  defend  an  even 
larger  proposition.  In  either  event,  reword  your 
statement  to  fit  your  new  needs.  Outline,  as  always. 

LESSON   120 

CHEATING  IN  SCHOOL  WORK 
THE  RIGHTS  OF  THE  PEDESTRIAN 

Prepare  an  oral  argument  not  to  exceed  three 
minutes  upon  a  proposition  drawn  from  either  of  the 
above  subjects. 

If  you  choose  the  first  subject,  you  may  handle  it 
entirely  from  the  student's  point  of  view.  That  is  to 

S.   &  H.   RHET.  12 


178  ARGUMENTATION 

say,  consider  the  effect  of  cheating  upon  the  student's 
character  and  the  effect  upon  his  classmates.  What 
are  the  effects  ?  Is  there  any  remedy  that  can  be 
applied  by  the  students  themselves,  or  ought  the 
whole  matter  to  be  left  to  the  teacher's  close  super- 
vision ?  Have  you  ever  heard  cheating  defended  ? 
When  it  is  called  by  another  name,  to  what  degree 
does  that  alter  the  situation  ?  In  a  school  where 
cheating  exists,  who  suffer  most  ?  Are  good  students 
affected?  Is  it  cheating  to  make  it  possible  for 
another  person  to  hand  in  work  that  is  not  his  own  ? 
If  you  choose  the  second  subject,  ask  yourself  why 
roads  exist,  why  they  are  kept  in  repair,  what  classes 
of  persons  may  use  the  roads.  To  how  much  of  the 
road  do  you  think  the  foot-passenger  should  be  legally 
entitled  ?  Do  you  think  there  should  be  a  difference 
in  the  pedestrian  rights  inside  and  outside  the  limits 
of  a  city  ? 

LESSON   121 
THE  VALUE  OF  A  HIGH  SCHOOL  EDUCATION 

Suppose  that  a  friend  of  yours  is  wondering 
whether  he  shall  leave  high  school  and  accept  a 
small  position,  although  his  parents  are  willing  to 
let  him  graduate  if  he  wishes  to  remain.  Write  a 
letter  to  him,  either  justifying  his  action  or  showing 
him  that  he  is  making  a  mistake.  In  either  case, 
you  are  writing  an  argument  upon  a  proposition 
drawn  from  the  subject,  "  The  Value  of  a  High 


ARGUMENTATION  179 

School  Education,"  but  you  are  addressing  it  to  an 
individual  instead  of  to  a  general  audience.  You 
must  consider  the  pros  and  cons;  you  must  get  your 
reasons  in  the  right  order;  and  more  than  this, 
you  must  state  your  reasons  in  the  way  that  you 
feel  will  be  acceptable.  It  is  not  enough  that  you 
think  you  are  right;  you  want  your  friend  to  agree 
with  you  and  to  follow  your  advice.  If  it  is  more 
natural  to  you  to  use  colloquial  language,  do  so.  Let 
him  see  that  you  sympathize  with  him  and  are 
arguing  because  you  are  convinced  that  you  are 
right.  When  you  have  finished  your  argument,  read 
it  over,  asking  yourself,  "If  I  were  in  my  friend's 
position,  would  this  argument  convince  me? ''  If  not, 
do  you  think  it  would  convince  your  friend? 

LESSON   122 

1.  Heading.  3.   Killing  Time. 

2.  Athletic  Teams.  4.   Class  Spirit. 

Prepare  an  oral  argument,  not  to  exceed  three 
minutes,  upon  a  proposition  drawn  from  one  of  the 
above  subjects  and  addressed  to  the  members  of  your 
class.  Prepare  yourself  as  hitherto,  remembering  in 
addition  that  you  are  trying  to  make  your  friends 
think  as  you  do.  In  return  for  the  attention  they 
are  going  to  give  you,  they  have  a  right  to  expect 
that  you  are  not  going  to  waste  their  time,  but  will 
give  them  sensible  opinions,  carefully  thought' out  and 
well  arranged. 


180  ARGUMENTATION 

Joking  remarks  should  not  be  forced  into  your 
talk,  but  need  not  be  avoided  if  they  occur  naturally 
and  are  in  good  taste. 

LESSON   123 
VACATION 

Write  an  argument  —  a  letter,  if  you  like  —  upon 
a  proposition  drawn  from  the  above  subject.  Your 
argument  should  be  directed  to  some  particular  per- 
son—  any  one  you  choose — and  may  concern  any 
aspect  of  vacation.  You  have  a  wide  range  here, 
and  it  will  be  best  for  you  to  think  of  a  number  of 
people  to  whom  you  might  address  an  argument 
about  vacation,  —  from  the  person  who  is  opposed 
to  any  vacation,  to  the  person  who  wants  nothing 
else.  You  may,  if  you  wish,  deal  with  any  vacation 
project  you  have  in  mind,  if  the  project  involves 
argument  before  it  can  be  carried  out. 


Narration 
Description 
Exposition 
Argumentation 


LESSON   124 


is  more  valuable  than 


Argumentation . 
Exposition. 
Description. 
Narration. 


Choose  the  form  of  discourse  which  you  think  most 
valuable,  and  prepare  an  argument  showing  why  it  is 
better  than  the  form  which  you  think  least  valuable. 
Your  oral  argument  should  be  limited  to  four  minutes. 


ARGUMENTATION  181 

LESSON   125 

After  hearing  the  arguments  in  the  preceding 
recitation,  write  an  argument  upon  any  aspect  of  the 
general  question,  which  was,  to  restate  it  briefly  — 

THE  RELATIVE  VALUE  OF  FORMS  OF  DISCOURSE 

LESSON    126 

Good  argumentation,  you  may  be  reminded,  is  good 
exposition  brought  to  bear  on  your  side  of  the  case, 
and  should  have  all  the  qualities  of  good  exposition, 
as  stated  on  p.  158.  The  following  special  points 
may  be  noted  :  — 

1.  Argumentation  should  convince  the  understand- 
ing. 

2.  It  should  state  its  position  clearly,  at  the  outset. 

3.  It  should  be  even-tempered. 

4.  It  should  prove  its  statements. 

5.  It  should  use  authorities  where  needed. 

6.  It  should  use  familiar  examples. 

7.  It  should  state  the  opposite  side  fairly. 

8.  Its  conclusions  should  not  state  more  than  has 
been  proved. 

Study  the  following  arguments  and  determine  their 
validity :  — 

CAN  WE  CONTROL  THE  COLONIES  BY  FORCE  ? 

First,  Sir,  permit  me  to  observe,  that  the  use  of  force  alone 
is  but  temporary.  It  may  subdue  for  the  moment ;  but  it  does 


1 82  ARGUMENTATION 

not  remove  the  necessity  of  subduing  again ;  and  a  nation  is  not 
governed,  which  is  perpetually  to  be  conquered. 

My  next  objection  is  its  uncertainty.  Terror  is  not  always 
the  effect  of  force ;  and  an  armament  is  not  a  victory.  If  you 
do  not  succeed,  you  are  without  resource;  for,  conciliation 
failing,  force  remains;  but,  force  failing,  no  further  hope  of 
reconciliation  is  left.  Power  and  authority  are  sometimes 
bought  by  kindness ;  but  they  can  never-  be  begged  as  alms  by 
an  impoverished  and  defeated  violence. 

A  further  objection  to  force  is,  that  you  impair  the  object  by 
your  very  endeavors  to  preserve  it.  The  thing  you  fought  for 
is  not  the  thing  which  you  recover;  but  depreciated,  sunk,' 
wasted,  and  consumed  in  the  contest.  Nothing  less  will  con- 
tent me  than  whole  America.  I  do  not  choose  to  consume  its 
strength  along  with  our  own  ;  because  in  all  parts  it  is  the 
British  strength  that  I  consume.  I  do  not  choose  to  be  caught 
by  a  foreign  enemy  at  the  end  of  this  exhausting  conflict ;  and 
still  less  in  the  midst  of  it.  I  may  escape  ;  but  I  can  make  no 
insurance  against  such  an  event.  Let  me  add,  that  I  do  not 
choose  wholly  to  break  the  American  spirit;  because  it  is  the 
spirit  that  has  made  the  country. 

Lastly,  we  have  no  sort  of  experience  in  favor  of  force  as  an 
instrument  in  the  rule  of  our  colonies.  Their  growth  and  their 
utility  has  been  owing  to  methods  altogether  different.  Om- 
an cient  indulgence  has  been  said  to  be  pursued  to  a  fault.  It 
may  be  so.  But  we  know  if  feeling  is  evidence,  that  our  fault 
was  more  tolerable  than  our  attempt  to  mend  it;  and  our  sin 
far  more  salutary  than  our  penitence. 

These,  Sir,  are  my  reasons  for  not  entertaining  that  high 
opinion  of  untried  force,  by  which  many  gentlemen,  for  whose 
sentiments  in  other  particulars  I  have  great  respect,  seem  to 

be  so  greatly  captivated. 

—  BURKE,  Conciliation  with  America. 

Let  us  endeavor  to  comprehend  in  all  its  magnitude,  and  to 
feel  in  all  its  importance,  the  part  assigned  to  us  in  the  great 


ARGUMENTATION  183 

drama  of  human  affairs.  We  are  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
system  of  representative  and  popular  governments.  Thus  far 
our  example  shows  that  such  governments  are  compatible,  not 
only  with  respectability  and  power,  but  with  repose,  with 
peace,  with  security  of  personal  rights,  with  good  laws,  and  a 
just  administration. 

We  are  not  propagandists.  Wherever  other  systems  are 
preferred,  either  as  being  thought  better  in  themselves,  or  as 
better  suited  to  existing  conditions,  we  leave  the  preference  to 
be  enjoyed.  Our  history  hitherto  proves,  however,  that  the 
popular  form  is  practicable,  and  with  wisdom  and  knowledge 
men  may  govern  themselves ;  and  the  duty  incumbent  on  us  is 
to  preserve  the  consistency  of  this  cheering  example,  and  take 
care  that  nothing  may  weaken  its  authority  with  the  world. 
If,  in  our  case,  the  representative  system  ultimately  fail,  popu- 
lar governments  must  be  pronounced  impossible.  No  combi- 
nation of  circumstances  more  favorable  to  the  experiment  can 
ever  be  expected  to  occur.  The  last  hopes  of  mankind,  there- 
fore, rest  with  us  ;  and  if  it  should  be  proclaimed  that  our 
example  had  become  an  argument  against  the  experiment,  the 
knell  of  popular  liberty  would  be  sounded  throughout  the 

—  WEBSTER,  Bunker  Hill  Monument. 

If  ignorance  and  corruption  and  intrigue  control  the  primary 
meeting,  and  manage  the  convention,  and  dictate  the  nomina- 
tion, the  fault  is  in  the  honest  and  intelligent  workshop  and 
office,  in  the  library  and  the  parlor,  in  the  church  and  the 
school.  .  .  .  'While  good  men  sit  at  home,  not  knowing  that 
there  is  anything  to  be  done,  nor  caring  to  know;  cultivating  a 
feeling  that  politics  are  tiresome  and  dirty,  and  politicians, 
vulgar  bullies  and  bravoes ;  half  persuaded  that  a  republic  is 
the  contemptible  rule  of  a  mob,  and  secretly  longing  for  a 
splendid  and  vigorous  despotism  —  then  remember  it  is  not  a 
government  mastered  by  ignorance,  it  is  a  government  betrayed 
by  intelligence;  it  is  not  the  victory  of  the  slums,  it  is  the 


184  ARGUMENTATION 

surrender  of  the  schools;  it  is  not  that  bad  men  are  brave,  but 
that  good  men  are  infidels  and  cowards. 

—  G.  W.  CURTIS,  The  Public  Duty  of  Educated  Men* 

My  paramount  object  in  this  struggle  is  to  save  the  Union, 
and  is  not  either  to  save  or  to  destroy  slavery.  If  I  could  save" 
the  Union  without  freeing  any  slaves,  I  would  do  it ;  and  if  I 
could  save  it  by  freeing  all  the  slaves,  I  would  do  it ;  and  if  I 
could  save  it  by  freeing  some  and  leaving  others  alone,  I  would 
also  do  that.  What  I  do  about  slavery  and  the  colored  race,  I 
do  because  I  believe  it  helps  to  save  the  Union;  and  what  I 
forbear,  I  forbear  because  I  do  not  believe  it  would  help  to  save 
the  Union.  I  shall  do  less  whenever  I  shall  believe  what  I  am 
doing  hurts  the  cause,  and  I  shall  do  more  whenever  I  shall 
believe  doing  more  will  help  the  cause.  I  shall  try  to  correct 
errors  when  shown  to  be  errors,  and  I  shall  adopt  new  views 
so  fast  as  they  shall  appear  to  be  true  views. 

I  have  here  stated  my  purpose  according  to  my  view  of 
official  duty  ;  and  I  intend  no  modification  of  my  oft-expressed 
personal  wish  that  all  men  everywhere  could  be  free. 

—  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  Letter  to  Greeley,  Aug.  22,  1862. 

EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  WASHINGTON,  February  3,  1862. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  MCCLELLAN  : 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  You  and  I  have  distinct  and  different  plans 
for  a  movement  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  —  yours  to  be 
down  the  Chesapeake,  up  the  Rappahannock  to  Urbana,  and 
across  land  to  the  terminus  of  the  railroad  on  the  York  River; 
mine  to  move  directly  to  a  point  on  the  railroad  southwest  of 
Manassas. 

If  you  will  give  me  satisfactory  answers  to  the  following 
questions,  I  shall  gladly  yield  my  plan  to  yours. 

First.  Does  not  your  plan  involve  a  greatly  larger  expendi- 
ture of  time  and  money  than  mine  ? 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Harper  &  Brothers. 


ARGUMENTATION  185 

Second.  Wherein  is  a  victory  more  certain  by  your  plan 
than  mine  ? 

Third.  Wherein  is  a  victory  more  valuable  by  your  plan 
than  mine  ? 

Fourth.  In  fact,  would  it  not  be  less  valuable  in  this,  that 
it  would  break  no  great  line  of  the  enemy's  communications, 
while  mine  would  ? 

Fifth.  In  case  of  a  disaster,  would  not  a  retreat  be  more 
difficult  by  your  plan  than  mine  ? 

Yours  truly, 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

ARE   LITERARY   SOCIETIES   BENEFICIAL? 

Henry.  Well,  if  you  want  me  to  join,  suppose  you  tell  me 
some  of  the  real  benefits  of  a  literary  society. 

Max.  The  benefits  are  obvious.  You  get  an  acquaintance 
with  literature,  and  invaluable  drill  in  speaking,  and  the  best 
sort  of  friendly  association.  Isn't  that  enough  ? 

Henry.   Certainly  it  is,  if  it's  true. 

Max.  Of  course  it's  true.  What  makes  you  stand  on  the 
other  side  of  the  question  ? 

Henry.  I'm  not  on  the  other  side  of  the  question ;  I'm  ready 
to  be  convinced.  But  mere  assertions  don't  convince  me. 

Max.  I  am  a  member  of  a  literary  society,  and  I  ought  to 
know  all  about  it. 

Henry.  That's  no  argument.  I  am  a  member  of  a  geometry 
class,  and  I  ought  to  know  all  about  it,  but  I  don't.  And  the 
teacher  won't  accept  any  proposition  that  I  can't  prove. 

Max.  Well,  since  it  is  a  literary  society,  you  get  acquainted 
with  literature. 

Henry.  That  doesn't  follow.  How  do  you  get  acquainted 
with  literature  ? 

Max.  In  the  first  place,  everybody  has  to  prepare  a  paper 
on  some  piece  of  literature,  regularly. 


186  ARGUMENTATION 

Henry.  Once  a  year  ? 

Max.  Once  a  month ;  and  these  papers  have  to  be  original. 
You  must  do  your  own  reading,  and  your  own  thinking,  and 
get  no  assistance  in  your  writing.  That  forces  you  to  get 
some  acquaintance  with  literature. 

Henry.  It  does  if  you  have  the  right  subjects.  Suppose  a 
fellow  writes  a  paper  about  some  cheap  detective  story  ? 

Max.    He  can't ;  he's  not  allowed  to. 

Henry.    What  stops  him  ? 

Max.  The  programme's  made  out  by  Mr.  Blank,  who  is  a 
literary  authority. 

Henry.   Does  he  understand  boys  ? 

Max.   He  used  to  be  one. 

Henry.  Tell  me  about  the  other  advantages  of  belonging  to 
your  society. 

Max.   I  said  that  you  got  an  invaluable  drill  in  speaking. 

Henry.    Invaluable ! 

Max.  Well,  very  great,  then.  Each  paper  is  discussed  by 
all  the  members,  and  the  writer  has  to  defend  his  position,  if 
it  is  attacked.  Of  course,  that  compels  you  to  be  sure  of  your 
statements  before  you  present  them,  and  it  forces  you  to  think 
quickly,  and  argue  clearly,  when  some  one  makes  an  unex- 
pected objection.  And  when  you  are  one  of  the  listeners,  it 
makes  you  want  to  point  out  the  things  that  haven't  convinced 
you. 

Henry.   All  right.     What  else  ? 

Max.  Do  you  want  me  to  prove  that  it  is  a  good  thing  for 
all  of  us  fellows  to  be  together  ? 

Henry.  Perhaps  you  could,  and  perhaps  you  couldn't.  Any- 
way, I  won't  ask  you. 

Max.   Are  you  convinced  on  the  whole  proposition  then  ? 

Henry.  You  haven't  proved  that  you  cannot  get  all  these 
things  just  as  well  somewhere  else.  Doesn't  the  class  in  Eng- 
lish do  the  same  thing  ? 

Max.   Partly,  of  course ;  but  there  is  a  difference  between 


ARGUMENTATION  ,        187 

a  class  and  a  club.  In  a  literary  society,  we  are  all  on  the 
same  level,  and  we  help  ourrelves  instead  of  having  some  one 
else  help  us ;  and  that's  worth  a  great  deal.  Have  you  any 
other  objections  ? 

Henry.  One.  Is  this  acquaintance  with  literature  and  readi- 
ness in  speaking  a  good  thing,  after  all  ? 

Max.  I  won't  argue  that  with  you ;  it  would  take  too  long. 
If  you  don't  believe  in  those  things,  I  fear  you  wouldn't  care 
to  join.  But  what  do  you  say  ? 

Henry.  I  say,  All  right.  In  fact,  that's  what  I  said  to, 
Albert  this  morning  when  he  gave  me  the  same  invitation  that 
you  did. 

Max.    So  you've  just  been  wasting  my  time  ? 

Henry.  You  haven't  been  wasting  your  time.  Both  of  us 
need  practice  in  arguing. 


That  Tickell  should  have  been  guilty  of  a  villany  seems  to 
us  highly  improbable.  That  Addison  should  have  been  guilty 
of  a  villany  seems  to  us  highly  improbable.  But  that  these 
two  men  should  have  conspired  together  to  commit  a  villany 
seems  to  us  improbable  in  a  tenfold  degree.  .  .  . 

We  do  not  accuse  Pope  of  bringing  an  accusation  which  he 
knew  to  be  false.  -  We  have  not  the  smallest  doubt  that  he 
believed  it  to  be  true ;  and  the  evidence  on  which  he  believed 
it  he  found  in  his  own  bad  heart.  His  own  life  was  one  long 
series  of  tricks,  as  mean  and  as  malicious  as  that  of  which  he 
suspected  Addison  and  Tickell.  He  was  all  stiletto  and  mask. 
To  injure,  to  insult,  and  to  save  himself  from  the  consequences 
of  injury  and  insult  by  lying  and  equivocating,  was  the  habit 
of  his  life.  He  published  a  lampoon  on  the  Duke  of  Chandos ; 
he  was  taxed  with  it,  and  he  lied  and  equivocated.  He  pub- 
lished a  lampoon  on  Aaron  Hill ;  he  was  taxed  with  it,  and  he 
lied  and  equivocated.  He  published  a  still  fouler  lampoon  on 
Lady  Mary  Wortley  Montagu;  he  was  taxed  with  it,  and  he 


188  ARGUMENTATION 

lied  with  more  than  usual  effrontery  and  vehemence.  He 
puffed  himself  and  abused  his  enemies  under  feigned  names. 
He  robbed  himself  of  his  own  letters,  and  then  raised  the  hue 
and  cry  after  them.  Besides  his  frauds  of  malignity,  of  fear, 
of  interest,  and  of  vanity,  there  were  frauds  which  he  seems  to 
have  committed  from  love  of  fraud  alone.  He  had  a  habit  of 
stratagem,  a  pleasure  in  outwitting  all  who  came  near  him. 
Whatever  his  object  might  be,  the  indirect  road  to  it  was  that 
which  he  preferred.  For  Bolingbroke  Pope  undoubtedly  felt 
as  much  love  and  veneration  as  it  was  in  his  nature  to  feel  for 
any  human  being.  Yet  Pope  was  scarcely  dead  when  it  was 
discovered  that,  from  no  motive  except  the  mere  love  of  arti- 
fice, he  had  been  guilty  of  an  act  of  gross  perfidy  to  Boling- 
broke. 

Nothing  was  more  natural  than  that  such  a  man  as  this 
should  attribute  to  others  that  which  he  felt  within  himself. 
A  plain,  probable,  coherent  explanation  is  frankly  given  to 
him.  He  is  certain  that  it  is  all  a  romance.  A  line  of  con- 
duct scrupulously  fair,  and  even  friendly,  is  pursued  towards 
him.  He  is  convinced  that  it  is  merely  a  cover  for  a  vile  in- 
trigue by  which  he  is  to  be  disgraced  and  ruined.  It  is  vain 
to  ask  him  for  proofs.  He  has  none,  and  wants  none,  except 
those  which  he  carries  in  his  own  bosom. 

—  T.  B.  MACAULAY,  Life,  and  Writings  of  Addison. 


LESSON   127 

Write  an   argument    on    any  subject   you    please, 
choosing  something  in  which  you  are  really  interested. 


NOTES 

BELOW  will  be  found  a  number  of  alternative  subjects,  which 
may  be  assigned  to  the  student,  in  place  of  the  regular  subjects, 
whenever  such  substitution  seems  desirable  to  the  teacher. 
Occasionally  a  class  is  better  off  for  not  following  too  closely 
the  work  of  the  class  of  the  preceding  year  ;  and  now  and  then 
local  conditions  may  make  the  alternative  subjects  more  effec- 
tive than  the  others,  either  for  the  whole  class,  or  for  a  few 
members  of  it.  Whenever,  also,  some  lesson  needs  to  be  espe- 
cially emphasized  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  class,  the  alter- 
native subjects  may  be  used  in  addition  to  the  regular  subjects. 
The  other  notes  are  self-explanatory  :  they  are,  in  the  main, 
forms  and  rules  whose  inclusion  in  the  Lessons  would  have 
seemed  an  interruption. 

Lesson  1 

Make  up  a  short  story,  using  the  four  details  in 
any  one  of  these  groups  :  — 

A.   A  cat.  B.    Two  chickens.  C.    A  girl. 
A  street  car.             Two  back  yards.  A  bicycle. 

A  conductor.  Two  boys.  A  load  of  coal. 

A  woman.  A  high  fence.  A  hill. 

Lesson  2 

This  lesson  should  be  repeated  several  times  in  the 
first  few  weeks,  especially  on  the  days  when  no  theme 
is  required.  If  necessary,  subjects  like  the  following 
may  be  used  as  alternatives  :  — 

189 


190  NOTES 


1.  A  Dream  I  Remember. 

2.  My  Grandfather's  Favorite  Story. 

3.  Their  First  Quarrel. 

4.  Getting  Acquainted  with  a  Bulldog. 


How  TO  STAND  AND  TO  SPEAK 

You  will  please  your  listeners  most  if  your  position 
is  easy  and  trim.  When  you  practice  your  talk,  stand 
straight,  with  feet  together,  arms  hanging  at  the  side, 
and  head  erect.  This  position  will  be  easy  if  you 
remember  to  get  your  weight  forward.  Before  you 
begin  to  speak,  put  your  heels  together  and  rise  on 
your  toes ;  stand  there  a  moment  and  then  drop  the 
heels  slowly,  keeping  the  weight  poised  on  the  balls 
of  the  feet.  Then  stand  still.  Of  course,  if  you  had 
to  talk  for  ten  minutes  or  more,  you  might  want  to 
change  your  position,  but  for  a  short  speech  this  is 
unnecessary.  Don't  put  your  hands  in  your  pockets, 
or  behind  you,  or  in  front.  Let  them  hang  at  your 
sides.  It  may  feel  odd  to  you  at  first,  but  it  looks 
better  to  the  other  people  than  any  other  position. 

You  will  talk  more  plainly  and  easily  if  you  take 
some  care  about  your  breathing,  as  one  does  in  sing- 
ing. Take  a  long  breath  before  each  sentence.  Don't 
try  to  fill  the  upper  part  of  the  chest,  —  that  will  look 
after  itself,  —  but  draw  the  air  down  as  deep  into  the 
lungs  as  you  can.  If  the  sentence  is  short,  not  more 
than  ten  words  or  so,  speak  it  all  in  one  breath.  If 


NOTES  191 

it  is  a  long  sentence,  take  a  breath  before  every  clause. 
In  this  way,  without  speaking  loudly,  you  will  talk 
distinctly  and  steadily,  so  that  people  will  understand 
every  word.  You  will  have  to  talk  slowly  at  first, 
but  after  a  little  practice  you  can  take  a  deep  breath 
quickly  and  talk  as  fast  as  necessary.  Good  speakers 
nearly  always  talk  rather  slowly. 

Finally,  look  your  listeners  straight  in  the  eye. 
You  are  telling  the  story  to  them  ;  you  want  them  to 
understand  and  like  it.  If  you  look  out  of  the  win- 
dow, or  up  at  the  ceiling,  or  down  on  the  floor,  you 
are  not  likely  to  hold  their  attention.  If  you  remem- 
ber this  in  your  practice  and  watch  the  furniture  and 
the  pictures  in  the  room  as  if  they  were  people,  you 
will  probably  talk  more  interestingly  to  the  real 
audience. 

Lesson  3 

In  writing  a  short  story,  use  the  four  details  in  any 
one  of  the  following  groups  :  - 

A.    A  string  of  beads.  B.   Christmas  season. 
A  crow.  A  child. 

A  house-maid.  A  street-car. 

A  party.  A  cripple. 

C.    A  monkey.  D.   A  baby. 
An  organ-grinder.  A  bath-tub. 

A  little  boy.  Photographs. 

A  cross  mother.  A  sister. 


192 


NOTES 


Lesson  4 


The  principal  parts  of  the  following  verbs  should 
be  committed  to  memory  :  — 


INFINITIVE 

PRESENT 

PAST 

PERFECT  PARTICIPLE 

3D  PERSON 

(used  with  has  and  had) 

to  lie,  to  recline 

lies 

lay 

lain 

(intrans.) 

to  lay,  to  place 

lays 

laid 

laid 

(trans.) 

to  sit  (intrans.) 

sits 

sat 

sat 

to  set  (trans.) 

sets 

set 

set 

to  read 

reads 

read 

read 

to  lead 

leads 

led 

led 

to  plead 

pleads 

pleaded 

pleaded 

to  begin 

begins 

began 

begun 

to  climb 

climbs 

climbed 

climbed 

to  come 

comes 

came 

come 

to  do 

does 

did 

done 

to  go 

goes 

went 

gone 

to  hear 

hears 

heard 

heard 

to  blow 

blows 

blew 

blown 

to  bring 

brings 

brought 

brought 

to  burst 

bursts 

burst 

burst  (not  bursted) 

to  drink 

drinks 

drank 

drunk 

to  drive 

drives 

drove 

driven 

to  draw 

draws 

drew 

drawn 

to  eat 

eats 

ate  or  eat  (6t) 

eaten 

to  fall 

falls 

fell 

fallen 

to  freeze 

freezes 

froze 

frozen 

to  get 

gets 

got 

got  (not  gotten) 

to  hide 

hides 

hid 

hidden 

to  ride 

rides 

rode 

ridden 

to  ring 

rings 

rang 

rung 

to  run 

runs 

ran 

run 

NOTES  193 

INFINITIVE  PRESENT  PAST  PERFECT  PARTICIPLE 

3D  PERSON  (used  with  has  and  had) 

to  sing  sings  sang  sung 

to  spring  springs  sprang  sprung 

to  swim  swims  swam  or  swum  swum 

to  swing  swings  swung  swung 

to  throw  throws  threw  thrown 

to  wear  wears  wore  worn 

to  write  writes  wrote  written 

Lesson  5 

Write  a  short  story  about  any  one  of  the  follow- 
ing subjects :  —  . 

1.  My  First  Day  in  High  School. 

2.  The  Baby  of  the  House. 

3.  Trials  of  a  Freshman. 

4.  My  First  Visit  to  a  Dentist. 

5.  Why  I  was  Tardy. 

6.  The  most  Ungrateful  Dog  I  ever  Saw. 

7.  The  Sad  Fate  of  a  Wayward  Chicken. 

8.  My  First  and  Last  Smoke. 

9.  Getting  Homesick. 

10.   The  Soliloquy  of  a  School  Mouse. 

Lesson  6 

At  the  end  of  the  Notes  you  will  find  a  list  of  words 
frequently  misspelled.  The  teacher  may  assign  you 
some  of  these  words  to  study.  When  writing  an 
essay  at  home,  it  will  be  easy  to  refer  to  this  book 
for  spelling,  but  pronunciation  and  definition  you  must 
get  from  the  dictionary.  Comments  on  punctuation 
you  will  find  on  pp.  25-27  and  198  of  this  book. 

8.  &  H.  RHET. 13 


194  NOTES 

Write  out  the  following  sentences,  changing  the 
conversational  part  to  first  person,  and  inserting  the 
correct  marks  of  punctuation  :  - 

1.  The  man  looked  surprised  and  exclaimed  that  he  did 
not  think  any  one  should  hesitate  to  act  under  such  conditions 

2.  Mary  smilingly  remarked  that  she  thought  she  could  in- 
duce her  father  to  let  her  go  to  the  party 

3.  They  asserted  that  they  had  worked  hard  for  what  they 
had  received  and  they  did  not  intend  that  some  one  else  should 
supplant  them 

4.  They  asked  if  they  might  not  come  over  and  join  in  the 
game 

5.  All  of  them  exclaimed  in  concert  what  a  jolly  good  time 
they  would  have  at  the  picnic 

6.  He  asked  the  men  if  they  would  wait  until  he  could  tell 
them  his  story 

7.  The  speaker  concluded  by  saying  that  if  in  the  early  days 
Patrick  Henrys  give  me  liberty  or  give  me  death  awakened  a 
responsive  chord  in  the  hearts  of  all  true  Americana  then  how 
dearly  should  this  same  sentiment  be  cherished  by  them  the 
descendants  of  these  early  patriots 

8.  George  answered  that  he  was  pleased  with  the  way  the 
boys  played  the  game 

9.  Mary  said  that  her  mother  had  often  remarked  that  too 
many  cooks  spoil  the  broth  but  yet  her  mother  was  glad  to 
have  all  her  children  assist  in  the  housework 

10.  Morton  told  the  men  that  they  should  be  pleased  with 
the  outcome  of  their  difficulty  it  does  not  pay  to  give  up  too  soon 

11.  John  replied  that  his  uncle  said  the  scheme  is  impos- 
sible 

The  teacher  may  very  profitably  dictate  a  page, 
preferably  from  a  story  containing  conversation,  and 
have  the  pupils  insert  the  proper  punctuation. 


NOTES 


195 


Lesson  7 
This  lesson  may  be  repeated  frequently. 

Lesson  8 

Here  is  a  list  of  words  frequently  mispronounced 
and  sometimes  misspelled.     Study  them  carefully. 


abdomen 

accidentally 

across 

address 

again 

alias 

apparatus 

Arctic 

athletics 

bicycle 

biography 

calm 

cartridge 

casualty 

cemetery 

children 

chimney 

column 

contradict 

creek 

cruel 

deaf 

despicable 

diphtheria 

elm 

extra 

favorite 

February 


figure 

finance 

genealogy 

geography 

God 

guardian 

hearth 

heinous 

history 

hospitable 

incomparable 

inquiry 

insect 

interesting 

introduce 

inventory 

irrevocable 

Italian 

just 

kept 

lamentable 

legislature 

library 

lightning 

literature 

mediaeval 

mineralogy 

mischievous 


often 

orange 

Palestine 

partner 

pathos 

peremptory 

perform 

pretty 

really 

recess 

recognize 

rinse 

ruffian 

sleet 

specialty 

status 

sword 

thought 

to-morrow 

tremendous 

vindictive 

was 

what 

when 

where 

why 

yeast 

zoology 


196  NOTES 

Lesson  9 

Write  a  story,  using  the  four  details  of  any  of  the 
following  groups  :  - 

A.   An  Italian  girl.  B.    A  horse. 
An  American  girl.  A  girl. 

A  violin.  A  pond. 

A  runaway.  An  automobile. 

(7.   A  small  boy.  D.   A  robber. 
A  boat.  A  policeman. 

A  dog.  A  telephone. 

Water  lilies.  A  girl. 

Lesson  10 

Here  is  a  selection  to  be  read  carefully  for  its 
punctuation.  The  teacher  may  ask  you  to  close  your 
books  and  take  down  the  extract,  from  dictation, 
reproducing  the  punctuation.  Especially  observe  the 
use  of  the  semicolons  and  the  colons.  The  commas, 
periods,  exclamation  marks,  and  question  marks 
should  give  you  little  trouble. 

But  the  time  was  now  approaching  for  the  mighty  experi- 
ment. .  .  .  The  fifth  morning  of  that  year  was  fixed  for  the 
fatal  day  when  the  fortunes  and  happiness  of  a  whole  nation 
were  to  be  put  upon  the  hazard  of  a  dicer's  throw ;  and  as  yet 
that  nation  was  in  profound  ignorance  of  the  whole  plan.  The 
khan,  such  was  the  kindness  of  his  nature,  could  not  bring 
himself  to  make  the  revelation  so  urgently  required.  It  was 
clear,  however,  that  this  could  not  be  delayed;  and  Zebek- 
Dorchi  took  the  task  willingly  upon  himself.  But  where  or 
how  should  this  notification  be  made,  so  as  to  exclude  Russian 
hearers  ?  After  some  deliberation  the  following  plan  was 
adopted  :  — Couriers,  it  was  contrived,  should  arrive  in  furious 


NOTES  197 

haste,  one  upon  the  heels  of  another,  reporting  a  sudden  inroad 
of  the  Kirghises  and  Bashkirs  upon  the  Kalmuck  lands  at  a 
point  distant  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles.  Thither, 
all  the  Kalmuck  families,  according  to  immemorial  custom, 
were  required  to  send  a  separate  representative ;  and  there, 
accordingly,  within  three  days,  all  appeared.  The  distance, 
the  solitary  ground  appointed  for  the  rendezvous,  the  rapidity 
of  the  march,  all  tended  to  make  it  almost  certain  that  no 
Russian  could  be  present.  Zebek-Dorchi  then  came  forward. 
He  did  not  waste  many  words  upon  rhetoric.  He  unfurled  an 
immense  sheet  of  parchment,  visible  from  the  outermost  dis- 
tance at  which  any  of  this  vast  crowd  could  stand.  The  total 
number  amounted  to  eighty  thousand:  all  saw,  and  many 
heard.  They  were  told  of  the  oppressions  of  Russia ;  of  her 
pride  and  haughty  disdain,  evidenced  towards  them  by  a  thou- 
sand acts;  of  her  contempt  for  their  religion;  of  her  determi- 
nation to  reduce  them  to  absolute  slavery ;  of  the  preliminary 
measures  she  had  already  taken  by  erecting  forts  upon  many 
of  the  great  rivers  in  their  neighborhood  ;  of  the  ulterior 
intentions  she  thus  announced  to  circumscribe  their  pastoral 
lands,  until  they  would  all  be  obliged  to  renounce  their  flocks 
and  to  collect  in  towns  like  Sarepta,  there  to  pursue  mechani- 
cal and  servile  trades  of  shoemaker,  tailor,  and  weaver,  such 
as  the  freeborn  Tartar  had  always  disdained. 

—  DE  QUINCE  Y,  Revolt  of  the  Tartars. 

Punctuation  is  less  readily  learned  by  the  study  of 
rules  than  by  one's  own  practice  and  close  observation 
of  the  practice  of  others  as  shown  in  print.  To  give 
specific  rules  covering  all  usage  would  be  to  confuse 
the  young  writer,  all  the  more  since  usage  is  not  abso- 
lutely fixed.  The  following  comments  seek  merely  to 
offer  some  guidance  in  a  matter  in  which  common 
sense  is  the  main  factor:  — 


198  NOTES 

1.  The  period  is  used  to  denote  the  completion  of 
a  thought,  and  is  therefore  used  after  all  declarative 
sentences  and  after  many  imperative  ones.    It  is  also 
used  to  denote  abbreviations. 

2.  Colons  and  semicolons  denote  important  pauses 
within  the  sentence.    The  colon  is  used  when  the  first 
part  of  the  sentence  states  a  fact  and  the  latter  part 
illustrates  the  fact ;  when  the  first  part  names  a  class 
and  the  latter  part  names  individuals  of  the  class ; 
when  it  divides  a  balanced  sentence,  and  when  a  quo- 
tation or  statement  of  some  length  is  to  follow.     In 
the  last  case,  a  dash  is  often  used  with  the  colon.    For 
examples,  see  Lesson  10,  p.  27. 

3.  The  semicolon  is  used    when   the    sentence   is 
composed  of  two  or  three  parts  of  practically  the  same 
value  and  construction.     This  also  applies  when  the 
sentence  is  divided  by  a  colon  into  two  main  parts, 
and  either  part  subdivided.    For  examples,  see  Les- 
son 10,  p.  27. 

4.  The  use  of  exclamation  marks,  question  marks, 
and  quotation  marks  is  sufficiently  indicated  by  their 
names.     A  quotation  within  a  quotation  is  set  off  by 
single  quotation  marks. 

5.  The  dash  denotes  a  break  in  the  continuity  of 
the  thought  or  of  the  expression. 

6.  The  use  of  the  comma  can  be  learned  only  by 
practice.     The  simplest  rule  that  can  be  given  is  to 
insert  a  comma  if  the  sentence  seems  obscure  with- 
out it. 


NOTES  199 

Lesson  11 

Write  a  story,  using  all  the  details  in  any  one  of 
the  following  groups  :  — 

A.   A  young  man.  B.    An  invalid. 
A  railway  station.  A  little  girl. 

A  baby.  Roses. 

A  distracted  mother.  A  book. 

(7.    A  woman. 

A  lively  puppy. 

A  friend. 

A  piece  of  string. 

Lesson  12 

Make  the  following  sentences  more  forcible  by  add- 
ing, where  needed,  adjectives,  adverbs,  and  relative 
clauses,  and  by  substituting,  when  possible,  more  vivid 
verbs :  — 

1.  When  the  mother  refused,  the  boy  walked  out  of  the 
room. 

2.  The  released  prisoner  left  the  court  room. 

3.  The  fellows  came  into  the  office  and  told  George  that  the 
team  had  won. 

4.  John  disobeyed   and  had  to  remain  at  home,  and  so 
missed  the  skating. 

5.  When  the  whistle  blew,  the  workmen  left  the  shovels 
and  went  to  the  house. 

Lesson  13 

The  following  theme  has  many  faults.  Rewrite  it, 
correcting  mistakes,  and,  especially,  changing  the  sen- 
tence structure  when  needed. 


200  NOTES 

Having  about  decided  to  enter  college,  and  my  parents 
being  willing,  one  bright  morning  saw  me  on  the  train.  I 
was  eager  to  enter  upon  my  duties  and  opportunities.  The  tram 
went  rapidly.  It  flew  past  houses  and  villages  and  farms.  It 
brought  me  nearer  my  destination.  A  junction  was  reached. 
There  a  young  man  asked  me,  "  Are  you  going  to  -  -  col- 
lege ?  "  "  Yes,"  I  said.  "  So  am  I,"  he  said.  "  I  am  a  student 
there,"  said  he. 

Thus  talking,  I  was  told  by  him  of  the  character  of  the  col- 
lege, and  its  teachers',  and  its  students,  and  its  customs.  My 
new  friend  seemed  to  be  a  very  sensible  fellow.  I  thought  if 
all  students  were  like  him,  an  enjoyable  time  would  be  had 
by  me  at  that  college,  and  so  it  proved.  The  train  stopped. 
Friendly  hands  were 'extended  to  me.  They  were  introduced 
by  my  new  friend.  I  was  made  welcome  at  once. 

Being  driven  to  a  room  in  a  cab,  I  rented  it  for  three  months. 
Next  came  a  boarding-house.  Taking  my  friend's  advice 
I  ate  where  he  did.  Three  dollars  a  week  was  the  rate 
Required  to  be  paid  in  advance. 

These  matters  being  arranged,  to  be  admitted  to  college  was 
the  next  article  on  the  program.  This  was  speedily  accom- 
plished. My  credentials  being  satisfactory,  and  I  having 
brought  a  letter  to  the  President  from  our  minister,  they  hav- 
ing been  to  college  together.  And  now  work  was  ready  to  be 
attended  to  by  me.  I  made  up  my  mind  to  do  the  best  I 
could,  and  I  went  to  my  first  recitation,  glad  that  my  chance 
had  come. 

Lesson  14 

Rewrite  the  following  sentences.  Break  up  the 
participial  construction  by  the  use  of  clauses.  En- 
deavor to  express  the  ideas  in  the  best  possible  form. 

1.  Running  across  the  street,  the  trolley  just  missed  him. 

2.  Leaving  this  subject,  the  next  point  must  be  considered. 


NOTES  201 

3.  Objecting  strongly  to  his  argument,  nothing,  however, 
was  said  in  reply. 

4.  Coming  rapidly  down  the  street,  the  church  tower  was 
clearly  seen. 

5.  On  looking  through  his  papers,  the  mortgage  was  found. 

6.  Loitering  by  the  way,  and  occasionally  stopping  to  skip 
the  rope,  the  old  judge  saw  his  two  granddaughters. 

7.  Having  debated  this  subject,  and  being  about  to  finish 
a  paper  upon  it,  I  feel  entitled  to  speak. 

8.  I  agree  with  you,  being  convinced  by  your  argument  hav- 
ing been  expressed  so  clearly. 

9.  I  am  satisfied  that  his  record  will  be  good,  having  last 
year  been  one  of  our  best  students. 

10.   Our  plan  being  simple,  deserved  a  hearing. 

In  the  following  narrative,  the  word  and  is  used 
too  often.  When  should  it  be  retained  ?  When 
omitted  ?  Sometimes  the  omission  of  and  will  neces- 
sitate a  reconstruction  of  the  sentence. 

I  sat  down  at  my  desk  and  determined  to  study  and  found 
that  my  lessons  were  going  to  be  hard.  I  began  on  my  algebra 
and  made  fair  progress  and  then  some  one  knocked  at  the  door. 
I  said,  "Come  in,"  and  my  friend  entered  and  sat  down  and 
began  to  talk  to  me  and  to  persuade  me  to  join  him  in  a  walk 
and  I  consented.  And  we  had  a  very  pleasant  time.  And 
what  was  best  about  it  was  the  fact  that  the  walk  refreshed 
me  and  I  found  that  I  could  study  better  and  I  finished  my 
work  by  the  time  that  I  had  expected  to  finish  it  and  I  had 
my  walk  besides  and  so  everything  was  all  right. 

In  the  following  story,  notice  the  bad  effect  of  too 
frequent  use  of  the  passive  voice.  Rewrite  the  story, 
changing  the  passive  to  the  active  whenever  the 
change  will  be  an  improvement. 


202  NOTES 

The  day  was  thought  by  us  to  be  an  ideal  one  for  the  picnic, 
and,  at  the  appointed  time,  we  were  gathered  together  at  the 
schoolhouse  door.  Several  baskets  had  been  filled,  by  willing 
hands,  with  good  things  to  eat.  Hammocks,  and  books,  and 
games  had  been  provided,  and  when  the  buckboard  was  drawn 
before  the  door  by  four  prancing  horses,  every  one  of  us  was 
ready  for  the  outing  to  begin.  The  girls  were  helped  to  their 
seats,  —  no  help  was  needed  even  by  the  smallest  boy,  — 
the  whip  was  cracked,  and  off  we  went.  On  the  way,  songs 
were  sung,  stories  were  told,  jokes  were  made,  and  gay  con- 
versation was  indulged  in  by  every  one. 

At  last  the  place  was  reached  where  the  woods  were  to  be 
entered.  On  a  stone  near  the  great  gate  a  barefoot  boy  was 
seated.  He  was  hailed  by  all  of  us  and  was  asked  to  open  the 
gate,  but  no  reply  was  made  to  our  cheerful  greeting  and  sim- 
ple request.  As  the  wagon  was  brought  to  a  standstill,  the 
boy  was  stared  at  curiously  by  all  of  us.  Such  an  unhappy 
look  was  seen  on  his  face  that  all  of  our  gayety  was  brought  to 
a  sudden  conclusion.  Laughter  seemed  out  of  place  when  tears 
were  seen  in  his  eyes. 

"  What's  the  matter,  sonny  ?  "  was  asked  him. 

"Nothing,"  was  the  reply,  and  his  face  was  turned  away. 

The  seat  by  the  driver  was  left  by  the  leader  of  our  party, 
and  once  more  the  question  was  asked  by  him,  "  What's  the 
matter,  little  fellow  ?  " 

"  Nothin',  just  hungry." 

"  Haven't  you  had  any  breakfast  ?  " 

"  No,  nor  supper  last  night." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Nothin'  to  eat  in  the  house,"  was  the  reply  made. 

"  Where  do  you  live  ?  " 

"  Down  that  way,"  and  the  direction  was  pointed  out. 

The  face  of  our  leader  was  turned  to  us :  "  What  do  you 
say  ?  Shall  we  investigate  ?  "  And  a  hearty  assent  was  our 
answer  to  his  question. 


NOTES  203 

In  a  few  minutes  the  house  was  reached,  and  a  scene  of 
misery  was  before  us.  The  mother  was  seen  vainly  trying  to 
comfort  three  or  four  little  children,  who  were  heard  sobbing 
as  the  room  was  entered  by  us. 

"  What  can  we  do  for  you  ?  "  was  asked. 

"  Can  you  give  these  poor  children  anything  to  eat  ?  We've 
had  hard  luck  ;  my  husband  is  looking  for  work,  and  won't  be 
back  till  night." 

Description  of  our  feeling  is  not  needed.  Quicker  than  it 
takes  to  tell  it,  our  largest  basket  was  brought  into  the  cottage, 
its  contents  were  placed  upon  the  rickety  table,  and  a  hearty 
invitation  was  given  by  us  to  help  themselves. 

We  were  driven  away,  well  aware  that  some  of  our  favorite 
dainties  had  been  given  up,  but  conscious  of  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  distress  had  been  relieved.  It  was  the  best  pic- 
nic that  had  ever  been  enjoyed  by  our  school. 

Lesson  15 

To  the  three  details  in  the  first  column,  add  one 
from  the  second,  and  with  these  construct  a  story :  - 

A  little  girl.  A  church. 

A  doll.  A  wharf. 

A  dog.  A  school  building. 

Do  likewise  with  these  groups  :  - 

A  city  boy.  A  woman. 

A  country  cousin.  A  horse. 

A  beehive.  A  dog. 

Lesson  16 

Simple  Futurity 
SINGULAR  PLURAL 

I  shall  go  We  shall  go 

You  will  go  You  will  go 

(She,  It)  He  will  go  They  will  go 


204  NOTES 

Determination 

I  will  go  We  will  go 

You  shall  go  You  shall  go 

(She,  It)  He  shall  go  They  shall  go 

Below  is  an  impunctuated  selection  from  Scott's 
Quentin  Durward.  Copy  it  carefully,  inserting  the 
necessary  marks  of  punctuation. 

By  your  leave  Sir  Knight  said  Quentin  who  could  not  brook 
the  menacing  tone  in  which  this  advice  was  given  I  will  first 
see  whom  I  have  had  to  do  with  and  learn  who  is  to  answer  for 
the  death  of  my  comrade  that  shalt  thou  never  live  to  know  or 
to  tell  answered  the  knight  nay  if  thou  wilt  have  it  for  Quen- 
tin now  drew  his  sword  and  advanced  on  him  take  it  with  a 
vengeance  so  saying  he  dealt  the  Scot  such  a  blow  on  the  hel- 
met as  till  that  moment  though  bred  where  good  blows  were 
plenty  he  had  only  read  of  in  romance  it  descended  like  a 
thunderbolt  beating  down  the  guard  which  the  young  soldier 
had  raised  to  protect  his  head  and  reaching  his  helmet  of  proof 
cut  it  through  so  far  as  to  touch  his  hair  but  without  farther 
injury  while  Durward  dizzy  stunned  and  beat  down  on  one  knee 
was  for  an  instant  at  the  mercy  of  the  knight  had  it  pleased 
him  to  second  his  blow  but  compassion  for  Quentin's  youth  or 
admiration  of  his  courage  or  a  generous  love  of  fair  play  made 
him  withhold  from  taking  such  advantage  while  Durward  col- 
lecting himself  sprang  up  and  attacked  his  antagonist  with 
the  energy  of  one  determined  to  conquer  or  die  and  at  the  same 
time  with  the  presence  of  mind  necessary  for  fighting  the  quarrel 
out  to  the  best  advantage  resolved  not  again  to  expose  himself 
to  such  dreadful  blows  as  he  had  just  sustained  he  employed 
the  advantage  of  superior  agility  increased  by  the  comparative 
lightness  of  his  armor  to  harass  his  antagonist  by  traversing 
on  all  sides  with  a  suddenness  of  motion  and  rapidity  of  attack 
against  which  the  knight  in  his  heavy  panoply  found  it  difficult 
to  defend  himself  without  much  fatigue. 


NOTES  205 

Lesson  17 

Tell  stories,  using  the  following  beginnings  and 
endings  :  — 

1.  One  autumn  day,  about  three  years  ago,  as  I  was  watch- 
ing several  boys  of  my  own  size  playing  football,  1  conceived 
the  brilliant  idea  that  I  could  play  the  game  as  well  as  any  of 
them.  _ 


When  I  opened  my  eyes,  I  beheld  all  my 

friends  bending  over  me. 

2.    My  cousin,  who  had  just  come  home  from  college,  sug- 
gested that  we  dig  into  an  Indian  mound 


The  old  farmer  smiled:    "I  could   have 

told  you  that,  yesterday  morning,  but  I  knew  you  boys  needed 
exercise." 

3.   Mr.  Dooley  was  a  full-blooded  Maltese,  long  and  lanky 
with  an  eager  expression  of  countenance. 


His  tail  was  broken. 


Lesson  18 

At  any  time  the  teacher  may  make  an  extra  lesson 
by  requiring  a  corrected  theme  to  be  rewritten  care- 
fully. See  Lessons  14  and  18. 

Lesson  19 

Write  a  story  which  illustrates  one  of  these  pro- 
verbs :  - 

1.  The  darkest  hour  is  just  before  dawn. 

2.  Penny  wise  and  pound  foolish. 


206  NOTES 

3.  Let  a  sleeping  dog  lie. 

4.  A  barking  dog  never  bites. 

5.  Don't  cry  over  spilled  milk. 

6.  All  that  glitters  is  not  gold. 

7.  Discretion  is  the  better  part  of  valor. 

8.  Fools  rush  in  where  angels  fear  to  tread. 

9.  Make  hay  while  the  sun  shines. 

10.  It  is  an  ill  wind  that  blows  nobody  good. 

11.  A  stitch  in  time  saves  nine. 

12.  A  fool  and  his  money  are  soon  parted. 

13.  A  rolling  stone  gathers  no  moss. 

14.  A  watched  pot  never  boils. 

15.  Two  heads  are  better  than  one. 

Lesson  20 

Tell  stories,  making  use  of  the  following  combina- 
tions for  beginnings  and  endings  :  - 

1.    Mother  had  given  me  a  quarter,  and  my  cousin  and  I 
adjourned  to  the  garden  to  discuss  ways  and  means  of  getting 

rid  of  our  wealth. .. 


Did  we  really  get  our  money's  worth? 

2.    He  burst  into  the  room  bubbling  over  with  suppressed 
excitement.  _ 


We  unanimously  agreed  to  follow  him. 

3.    Grace  was  fond  of  reading  ghost  stories. 


"For  a  little  while  after  that," 

she  ended,  "  I  honestly  thought  it  was  a  really,  truly  ghost." 


NOTES                                           207 
4.    In  the  first  place,  the  colt  was  not  easy  to  catch 


.  Jtiis  father  grimly  returned  the  whip  to  its 
socket  by  the  ruined  dashboard. 

5.   The  two  pups  were  great  friends 


But  that  didn't  pay  for  the  lamp,  or  the 

curtains,  or  the  three  rubber  plants  that  were  the  pride  of  his 
mother's  life. 

Lesson  21 

To  the  three  details  in  the  first  column,  add  one 
from  the  second,  and  construct  a  story  :  — 

A.  A  park.  A  girl  of  fifteen. 

A  beggar.  A  woman  of  thirty. 

A  lost  parasol.  An  old  woman. 

Do  likewise  with  these  groups  :  - 

B.  A  fire.  A  stranger. 
Turning  in  an  alarm.  A  boy. 

An  inexperienced  policeman.     An  old  man. 

Lesson  22 
Correct  or  justify  the  following  sentences  :  — 

1.  Not  only  did  he  speak  but  worked  for  our  side. 

2.  Though  he  has  been  in  the  city  for  a  week,  I  have  only 
spoken  to  him  once. 

3.  I  would  of  gone  to  the  picnic  if  it  had  not  rained. 

4.  Any  person,  on  second  thought,  may  find  (themselves, 
himself)  mistaken. 

5.  He  not  only  was  invited  to  come  at  once  but  to  remain 
for  the  entire  week. 

6.  George  not  only  came  to  school  late  but  he  failed  to 
recite  in  a  single  class. 


208  NOTES 

7.  I  am  sorry  I  cannot  (accept,  except)  your  kind  offer. 

8.  I  (expect,  suspect)  that  I  can  go  to-morrow  morning. 

9.  Launcelot  is  the  (best,  peer)  of  all  the  students. 

10.  I  feel  (somewhat,  some)  better  to-day. 

11.  I  don't  care  for  these  sort  of  books. 

12.  This  is  the  (last,  latest)  opinion  upon  a  subject  which 
will  be  much  debated  in  the  future. 

13.  I   wrote   him  a  letter   and   got  only  a  (verbal,  oral) 
answer. 

14.  The  bite  of  a  cobra  is  (deadly,  deathly). 

15.  She  turned  (deadly,  deathly)  pale. 

16.  I  (suspect,  expect)  that  you  are  wrong. 

17.  To  send  the  road  engine  through  the  ford  was  (imprac- 
tical, impracticable). 

18.  His  tone  carried  conviction  with  it,  but  his  arguments 
(convicted,  convinced)  no  one. 

19.  He  must  of  realized  his  error. 

20.  Most  any  one  would  have  made  the  same  mistake. 


Lesson  23 

Write  stories,  making  use  of  the  following  combi- 
nations for  beginnings  and  endings  :  - 

1.   "  I  saw  by  the  paper  that  you  wanted  an  office  boy." 


"You  may  report  for  work  to-morrow,"  added  the 

merchant,  kindly. 

2.    It  was  a  fine  day  for  the  picnic. 


"That  was  a  pretty  narrow  escape," 

she  remarked. 


NOTES  209 

3.    He  drew  from  his  pocket  a  small  parcel  which  he  care- 
fully unwrapped. 


Amid  deep  silence,  he 

replaced  the  small  object  in  his  pocket. 

Lesson  24 
Rewrite  in  good  English  :  — 

1.  The  new  players  didn't  make  good. 

2.  He  ran  a  good  race,  but  at  the  end  he  was  all  in. 

3.  That  dog  is  a  cracker-jack. 

4.  It's  a  cinch  that  he  will  be  elected. 

5.  Now  it  is  up  to  you  to  do  this  work  right. 

6.  I'll  tell  you  we  had  them  on  the  run. 

7.  We  made  their  pitcher  look  like  thirty  cents. 

8.  Did  I  accept  ?     Not  on  your  life. 

9.  What  the  old  fellow  said  to  him  was  a  plenty. 

10.  He  got  what  was  coining  to  him. 

11.  She  looked  so  cute  in  that  hat. 

12.  This  is  a  sweet  picture  and  has  a  sweet  frame. 

13.  Her  reading  is  simply  terrible. 

14.  These  caramels  are  grand. 

15.  I  recited  that  lesson  all  right. 

16.  It  was  a  very  slow  party. 

Lesson  25 

Use  these  groups,  A,  B,  and  (7,  as  suggested  in  the 
Notes,  Lesson  15. 

A.   A  successful  merchant.         The  merchant's  store. 
A  subscription  list.  The  merchant's  house. 

An  impatient  woman.  A  Pullman  car. 

8.  &   II.   RHET. —  14 


210         .  NOTES 

B.  A  generous  woman.  A  parlor. 
A  stranger.  A  theater. 
A  book.  A  kitchen. 

C.  A  high  school  student.  A  neighbor's  house. 
A  stray  dog.  A  Sunday  school. 
A  girl's  hat.  A  street  corner. 


Lesson  26 

Prepare  to  tell  in  the  class  a  story  in  which  the 
main  character  does  something  because  of  a  mistaken 
supposition ;  as,  for  instance,  a  mistake  in  the  date  of 
an  engagement,  a  mistake  regarding  the  contents  of  a 
package,  taking  a  wrong  train,  or  getting  out  at  the 
wrong  station,  —  any  story,  in  short,  which  is  the 
result  of  some  natural  mistake. 

Lesson  27 

If,  for  any  reason,  it  seems  advisable  to  have  an 
assigned  subject,  selection  may  be  made  from  the 
following  list :  - 

1.  How  We  Keached  Camp. 

2.  Why  I  was  Late  to  School. 

3.  A  Narrow  Escape. 

4.  My  First  Declamation. 

5.  An  Unequal  Fight. 

6.  How  I  happened  to  Know  the  Facts. 

7.  The  Sailor's  Yarn. 

8.  Why  George  Walked  Home. 

9.  Stub's  Adventure. 

10.    The  Trick  that  Failed. 


NOTES  211 

Lesson  28 
Choose  the  correct  word  :  — 

1.  He  was  (partly,  partially)  convinced  by  my  arguments. 

2.  The  vegetation  of  Brazil  is  very  (luxurious,  luxuriant). 

3.  I  (purpose,  propose)  writing  a  theme  for  to-morrow. 

4.  Fruit  will  be  (plenty,  plentiful)  this  year. 

5.  I  give  you  my  (thought,  idea)  for  what  it  is  worth. 

G.    The   club   rooms    were   (luxuriously,  luxuriantly)  fur- 
nished. 

7.  I  believe  in  the  (observation,  observance)  of  Sunday. 

8.  She  will  come  as  soon  as  she  has  finished  her  (occupa- 
tion, task). 

9.  Willie  had  great  (respect,  reverence)  for  his  brother's 
opinion. 

10.  His  long-continued  politeness  was  (exceptional,  excep- 
tionable). 

11.  The   social   season   was  (begun,   inaugurated)   with   a 
large  reception. 

12.  The  schoolhouse  is   (located,  situated)  on  top  of  the 
hill. 

13.  His  (observance,  observation)  of  these  microscopic  de- 
tails surprised  me. 

14.  He  went  west  and  (located,  settled)  in  Spokane. 

15.  He  (literally,  completely)  crushed  the  opposing  debaters. 

Lesson  3O 

At  the  teacher's  option,  more  of  the  stories  written 
for  Lesson  27  may  be  read  to  the  class. 

From  time  to  time  the  teacher  will  find  it  profit- 
able to  read  to  the  class  a  short  story  from  some 
good  author,  and  to  require  a  criticism  of  the  story 
to  be  written  at  once. 


212  NOTES 

The  dialogue  in  this  lesson   may  be  rewritten  in 
direct  narrative  form. 

Lesson  31 
Write  a  description  of  any  one  of  the  following  :  - 

1.  The  Schoolroom. 

2.  The  Interior  of  Our  Church. 

3.  The  General  Store. 

4.  A  Dining  Room. 

5.  A  Grocery. 

6.  A  Doctor's  Office. 

7.  A  Clergyman's  Study. 

8.  A  Parlor. 

9.  An  Attic. 

Lesson  32 
Finish  these  descriptions  :  - 

1.  The  little  fellow,  who  was  not  more  than  four  years  old, 
was  evidently  lost. 

2.  She  was   chubby,  and  seemed  both  self-possessed  and 
good-humored. 

3.  He  had  an  air  of  prosperity,  not  to  say  affluence. 

4.  He  looked  sickly  and  languid. 

5.  He  had  a  questioning  look  on  his  face,  that  was  in  keep- 
ing with  the  rest  of  his  appearance. 

6.  Your  first   impression   of   him  would   be   that   he  was 
one  of  those  persons  who  are  always  tired. 

7.  She  was  a  quick,  snappy  sort  of  person. 

>• 

Lesson  33 

Subjects  for  description  :  — 

1.  The  High  School  Building. 

2.  The  Court  House. 


NOTES  213 


3.  The  Bank. 

4.  The  Post  Office. 

5.  Our  Church. 

6.  A  Livery  Stable. 

7.  A  Wholesale  Warehouse. 

8.  A  Railway  Station. 

9.  The  Library. 
10.  The  Jail. 


Lesson  34 
Choose  the  best  word  :  — 

1.  So  saying,  he  (waved,  flourished,  brandished)  the  sword 
haughtily. 

2.  "  I  will  not  listen  to  you,"  he  (said,  retorted,  replied, 
remarked,  admitted,  shouted). 

3.  The  tall,  proud-looking  man  (walked,  rushed,  hastened, 
stalked,  stepped)  out  of  the  shop. 

4.  As  the  night  advanced,  his  opponent  (retreated,  drew 
back,  gave  way,  shrank  back)  before  him. 

5.  "  I  am  quite  at  a  loss,"  the  poor  woman  (replied,  mur- 
mured, admitted,  confessed,  whispered). 

6.  "  Leave  the   room,"  he   cried  (discourteously,  angrily, 
impolitely,  petulantly). 

7.  "That  is  certainly  a  joke  on  me,"  admitted  the  man 
(hesitatingly,  thoughtfully,  dubiously,  sheepishly). 

8.  "  I    wish    you   wouldn't    bother    me,"    she    ejaculated 
(peevishly,  crossly,  harshly,  sharply). 

9.  They  were  speedily  on  good  terms  with  the  (pleasant, 
agreeable,  good-natured,  good-humored)  stranger. 

10.  The  beggar  thanked  the  (gracious,  munificent,  benevo- 
lent, generous)  woman  who  had  relieved  his  distress. 

11.  The  (patriotic,  loyal,  friendly,  kind)  student  stood  up 
for  his  classmate. 


214  NOTES 

12.  The  total  (loss,  wreck,  destruction,  annihilation,  disap- 
pearance) of  his  fortune  was  an  unexpected  blow. 

13.  Her  (apparel,  clothes,   clothing,  raiment,  dress,   garb, 
costume)   seemed    thoroughly  in   keeping   with    her    modest 
nature. 

14.  He   assumed  the   obligation  with  a  -    -  sense  of  its 
importance. 

J  5.    She  left  the  house and  made  a  frantic  effort  to 

catch  the  train. 

16.  He. was  whistling  as  he  -    —  down  the  shady  lane. 

17.  In  answer  to  the  accusation,  the  guilty  man  could  only 
a  few  words. 

Lesson  35 

As  you  become  interested  in  characters  in  litera- 
ture, you  are  likely  to  have  fairly  well-defined  no- 
tions of  what  their  personal  appearance  must  be. 
Try  your  hand  at  writing  a  description  of  the  per- 
sonal appearance  of  some  of  the  characters  that  have 
interested  you.  For  instance:  — 

Shylock  Brutus 

Portia  Cassius 

Silas  Marner  Antonio 

Evangeline  Bassanio 

Miles  Standish  Marmion 

Lesson  36 

The  lesson  may  be  repeated  with  this  variation : 
the  teacher  will  collect  the  written  descriptions  of 
persons  and  places  and  return  them  in  new  combina- 
tions. Each  student  will  then  receive  the  description 
of  a  person  and  a  place  not  previously  used  together, 


NOTES  215 

and  his  task  will  be  to  make  up  a  story  from  the  new 
materials.  If  some  care  be  taken  in  making  the  new 
combinations,  the  lesson  is  likely  to  prove  interesting 
and  profitable. 

Lesson  37 

Write  a  description  of  a  view  from  an  upper  win- 
dow of  a  high  building.  In  such  description  you 
will  find  it  serviceable  to  use  words  that  denote 
direction ;  as,  to  the  right,  to  the  left,  in  the  fore- 
ground, in  the  background,  above,  below,  some  dis- 
tance beyond,  etc. 

Lesson  38 

In  the  following  examples  sometimes  one  sentence 
may  be  made  of  the  three  short  sentences,  but  some- 
times two  sentences  will  be  needed  to  express  the 
thought  clearly.  Occasionally  one  of  the  sentences 
may  be  reduced  to  one  word. 

1.  The  book  was  lent  to  him.     It  cost  two  dollars.     It  was 
morocco-bound. 

2.  I  don't  like  this  ink.     It  is  too  pale.     I  bought  it  this 
morning. 

3.  His  anger  was  justified.     It  was  aroused  by  the  sight 
of  the  undeserved  blow.     The  blow  was  cowardly. 

4.  He   considered    his    own    situation   carefully.     It  filled 
him  with  desperation.     This  desperation  was  complete. 

5.  My  father  went  to  New  Orleans  yesterday.     The  doctor 
ordered  him  to  avoid  the  northern  winter.     He  will  return  in 
the  spring. 

6.  There  was  some  truth  in  the  charge.     It  disconcerted 
him  extremely.     He  was  easily  upset. 


216  NOTES 

7.  He  lamented  his  fate.     It  pursued  him  for  crimes.     He 
was  innocent  of  the  crimes. 

8.  The  man  was  foolish.     He  had  a  long  task.     He  used 
up  all  his  strength  at  the  very  outset. 

9.  The  boat  drew  near  the  wharf.    The  wharf  was  crowded. 
The  boat  was  crowded. 

10.   The  man  was  in  disguise.    The  disguise  was  perfect.    It 
afforded  him  complete  protection. 


Lesson  39 
Outlines  of  incidents  :  — 

1.  An  unbroken  line  of  foot  soldiers,  with  spears  advanced, 
confronts  a  crowd  of  patriotic  men.     One  of  these  latter  rushes 
upon  the  soldiers,  gathering  in  his  arms  as  many  spears  as  he 
can.     His  companions  follow  through  the  breach  thus  made. 

2.  Three  swordsmen  have  been  fighting  three  others.     Of 
one  group,  three  are  wounded ;  of  the  other  group,  two  are 
dead  and  one  is  unhurt.     The  uninjured  man,  feigning  flight, 
draws  the  others  in  pursuit,  and  when  they  are  separated,  kills 
each  opponent. 

The  teacher  may  repeat  this  exercise  as  often  as 
needed,  by  reading  historical  incidents  to  the  class 
and  asking  for  descriptions  of  appropriate  back- 
grounds. 

Lesson  4O 
Outlines  of  incidents :  — 

1.  A  girl  is  refused  permission  by  her  mother  to  spend  the 
afternoon  away  from  home,  because  certain  mending  needs  to 
be  done.  The  girl  speaks  very  sharply  to  her  mother,  but 
later,  after  finishing  her  own  task,  secretly,  mends  all  the 
things  in  her  mother's  workbasket. 


NOTES  217 

2.  A  high  school  boy  receives  an  invitation  to  go  camping, 
and  does  not  reply  to  the  invitation.     Each  person  is  to  pro- 
vide a  certain  amount  of  provisions.     This  boy  gets  ready  only 
half  his  share,  expecting  to  get  the  rest  the  next  morning. 
His  friends  wait  half  an  hour  after  the  appointed  time,  and 
then  leave  without  him.     When  he  finds  that  they  have  gone, 
he  says,  "Well,  it  can't  be  helped." 

3.  A  man  makes  a  violent  statement,  the  truth  of  which  is 
challenged  by  listeners.     Proof  is  asked  for,  and  when  it  is 
not  forthcoming,  an  apology  is  demanded.     The  man  refuses 
to  apologize,  and  makes  threats.     These  are  received  with  con- 
tempt, and  the  man  is  left  alone  in  the  room,  knowing  that  he 
will  lose  his  friends  if  he  persists  in  his  course. 

Lesson  41 
Outlines:  — 

1.  A  county  fair ;  crowds ;  midday ;  a  strong,  active  young 
man ;  a  gambler. 

2.  A  railway  train ;  an  irritable  conductor ;  a  young  man, 
who  has  left  at  home  his  pocketbook,  containing  money  and 
ticket,  but  who  is  well-dressed  and  has  a  gold  watch. 

3.  A  parlor ;  arrangements  made  for  a  party ;  the  hostess  a 
high  school  girl,  courteous  and  truthful  ;  another  high  school 
girl,  timid  and  retiring,  making  an  unexpected  call. 

Lesson  42 
Find  comparisons,  either  similes  or  metaphors  :  - 

1.  A  crowd  separating  before  a  fire  engine. 

2.  A  single  cloud  in  the  sky. 

3.  Spectators  at  a  baseball  game. 

4.  A  blue  jay  in  a  water  trough. 

5.  A  house  just  after  a  fire. 

0.   A  steamboat  on  a  lake  or  river  at  night. 


218  NOTES 

7.  Farmers  digging  post  holes. 

8.  A  flag  in  a  dead  calm. 

9.  A  batsman  going  out  on  strikes. 

10.  A  flat  roof  after  a  heavy  snowstorm. 

11.  A  creaking  wagon  wheel. 

12.  A  very  small  boy  on  a  large  horse. 

13.  A  boy  much  out  of  breath. 

14.  A  very  calm  person. 

15.  A  graceful  girl. 


Lesson  43 

This  lesson  may,  of  course,  be  repeated,  or  the 
members  of  the  class  may  be  asked  to  describe  the 
character  of  a  person  from  a  picture  or  a  photograph 
shown  them. 

Lesson  44 

Write  single  sentences  descriptive  of  :  — 

1.  A  chained  dog. 

2.  A  well-worn  easy-chair. 

3.  A  shying  horse. 

4.  A  family  horse. 

5.  A  parlor  after  a  party. 

6.  Five  girls  and  one  secret. 

7.  Five  hungry  boys. 

8.  A  mud  road  after  a  heavy  rain. 

9.  A  boy  trying  to  make  a  fire  on  a  cold  morning. 

10.  Apple  trees  in  bloom. 

11.  Growing  wheat. 

12.  A  man  chopping  down  a  tree. 

13.  Three  girls  on  their  way  to  school. 

14.  A  boy  breaking  through  thin  ice. 

15.  An  automobile  on  a  dusty  road. 


NOTES  219 

Lesson  45 

Write  a  conversation  between  two  persons,  using 
for  each  person  at  least  six  speeches.  Without  em- 
ploying description,  try  to  bring  out  clearly  the 
nature  of  each  speaker. 

Lesson  46 

Prepare  oral  descriptions  involving  incident  and 
using,  as  beginnings  and  endings,  the  following  com- 
binations :  — 

1.  Her  neat-fitting  dress,  becoming  hat,  and  modest  air  of 
good  breeding  indicated  that 


She  accepted  the   man's  profuse  thanks  with  a  pleasant 

smile  and  walked  on. 

2.  The  old  hat,  slouched  down  over  his  eyes,  the  forward 
thrust  of  the  chin,  and  the  swaggering  gait  of  his  little  body 
told  every  one  that  this  city  youngster 


His  hat  was  gone,  and  the  air  of  confidence  had  disap- 
peared. 

3.   As  soon  as  she  walked  into  the  high   school  building, 
every  one  knew  that  she  was  from  the  country 


.And  that  is  why  all  the  boys  and  girls  liked  her. 


Lesson  47 
Write  a  description  of  a  crowd. 


220  NOTES 

Lesson  48 

Find  satisfactory  words  that  may  be  substituted  for 
the  following  and  write  sentences  illustrating  their 
use:  — 

1.  Give.  7.  Ask 

2.  Pretty.  8.  Small. 

3.  Pleasure.  9.  Work  (noun) 

4.  Hurriedly.  10.  Honestly. 

5.  Vehicle.  11.  Wait  (verb). 

6.  Nice.  12  Good. 

Lesson  49 

Write  characterizations  of  the  persons  who  take 
part  in  the  following  incidents  :  - 

1.  A  large  wagon,  full  of  boys  and  girls,  had  been  waiting 
for  some  time.     Everybody  was  impatient,  and  several  had 
asked   the   teacher  to  give  the  word  to  drive  to  the  picnic 
grounds  at  once.     Looking  at  her  watch,  the  teacher  replied 
that  they  would  wait  for  Miss—    -just  two  minutes.     Just 
as  the  time  expired,  Miss  —  —  arrived,  climbed  into  the  wagon 
and  remarked,  "Better  late  than  never!" 

2.  Two  quarreling  boys  had  hold  of  a  baseball  bat.     Their 
mother  told  Frank  to  let  go.     Frank  did  not  obey  her.     Then 
she  told   Will   to   let   go.       He    obeyed.       Frank   thereupon 
dropped  the  bat   and   remarked,  "  I  wasn't  going  to  let   go 
until  he  did." 

3.  A  child  in  a  street  car  was  standing  up  on  a  seat,  look- 
ing out  of  the  window.      A  jolt  of   the  car  flung  the*  child 
against  its  neighbor,  a  nicely . dressed  girl.     The  girl's  hat  was 
pushed  sideways  and  the  child  was  sharply  reproved  by  its 
mother.     "  Oh  !  don't,"  remonstrated  the  girl,  "  do  you  think  I 
mind  a  little  thing  like  that  ?  " 


NOTES  221 

4.  During  a  brisk  discussion,  one  man  questioned  the 
accuracy  of  his  opponent's  statements,  saying  that  there  was 
no  authority  for  them  whatever  and  that  only  a  reckless  speaker 
would  say  such  things.  The  first  man  produced  a  book  con- 
taining his  authority,  whereupon  the  second  said,  "  I  think 
that  i  owe  you  an  apology." 

Lesson  5O 

Prepare  oral  characterizations  of  the  persons  men- 
tioned in  these  incidents :  — 

1.  Harry,  the  new  boy,  who  had  entered  the  school,  wore 
somewhat  better  clothes  than  did  the  others,  and  spoke  with  a 
little  drawl  that  immediately  aroused  ridicule.  Sam,  the 
leader  of  the  school,  determined  to  teach  him  a  lesson,  and 
asked  him  to  take  a  little  walk  with  him  after  school.  What 
the  lesson  was  to  be  no  one  ever  found  out,  for  they  had  not 
walked  far  when  they  were  met  by  an  overgrown  rough,  twice 
the  age,  size,  and  strength  of  either  of  them,  who  promptly 
declared  his  intention  of  thrashing  Sam,  on  account  of  a  long- 
standing grudge.  The  first  blow  sent  Sam  to  the  ground. 
Even  before  he  had  scrambled  jbo  his  feet,  he  heard  Harry's 
voice,  "  Come  on,  Sam,  we  can  whip  him ! "  The  two  boys 
rushed  at  the  fellow  and  kept  at  him.  Five  minutes  later 
one  disheveled  boy  was  saying  to  another,  "Harry,  you  are 
all  right ! " 

2.  Two  girls  were  studying  together  one  evening,  and  were 
alone  in  the  house.  An  excited  knocking  at  the  door  was 
accompanied  by  a  small  boy's  shout,  "  Your  roof's  on  fire ! " 
Florence  cried  out,  "  Oh,  what  shall  we  do  ?  "  Amy  instantly 
exclaimed, "  The  telephone  —  fire  department  —  quick !  "  rushed 
to  the  attic,  got  out  on  the  roof  through  the  trapdoor,  saw 
that  a  small  edge  of  the  roof  had  caught  fire  from  sparks  from 
the  chimney,  tore  back  to  the  kitchen,  got  a  bucket  of  water, 
and  rushed  again  to  the  roof.  Florence,  who  had  somehow 


222  NOTES 

managed  to  telephone  as  she  had  been  told,  ran  out  into  the 
street,  still  crying,  "  Oh,  what  shall  we  do?"  As  the  firemen, 
a  few  minutes  later,  jumped  from  the  hose  cart  and  engine, 
they  were  greeted  by  the  clear,  strong  voice  of  a  girl  on  the 
roof,  "  Never  mind  now,  —  I  put  it  out  myself !  " 

Lesson  51 

If  the  teacher  prefers  to  assign  a  subject  for  de- 
scription, any  one  of  the  following  may  be  used :  - 

1.  Ten  Minutes  on  a  Street  Corner. 

2.  Signs  of  Spring. 

3.  Ten  Minutes'  Study  of  a  Baby. 

4.  Wagons  that  Pass  the  School. 

5.  The  Most  Interesting  Place  near  School. 

6.  A  Description  of  a  Friend. 

7.  Street  Cries. 

8.  The  Old  Chest. 

9.  A  View  from  a  Skyscraper. 

10.  My  First  View  of  the  Ocean. 

11.  The  Mighty  Seniors. 

12.  A  Child  that  I  Know. 

Lesson  52 

The  teacher  will  find  it  profitable  to  read  to  the 
class  descriptions  by  good  authors  and  to  require 
criticism  to  be  written  at  once. 

The  dialogue  in  this  lesson  may  be  rewritten  as 
direct  description. 

Lesson  53 

Write  a  letter  :  — 

1.  To  a  friend  of  your  own  age,  telling  about  some  of  your 
last  winter's  experiences. 


NOTES  223 

2.    To  your  father  or  mother,  assuming  that  you  are  on  a 
visit  to  a  friend. 

Specimen  form :  — 

Lexington,  Virginia, 

April  14,  1907. 
Dear  John, 

It  was  a  pleasant  surprise  to  hear  from  you  so  soon  after 
I  had  written  to  you. 


Be  sure  to  let  me  know  what  you  think  of  the  plan. 

Yours,  as  always, 

Robert  Smith. 

Lesson  54 
Headings :  — 

110  Beech  Street,  110  Beech  Street 

Geneva,  Illinois,  Geneva,  Illinois 

May  24,  1907.  May  24,  1907 

49  North  College  Avenue,  54  Warwick  Crescent, 

Philadelphia,  June  4th,  1907.  Troy,  June  fourth. 

Charleston,  S.C.,  1504  Central  Avenue, 

Monday,  May  21,  1906.  Piqua,  0.,  May  8, 1907. 

Los  Angeles,  Holbein  Lane 

California,  Fontainebleau 

Tuesday,  July  18th,  1905.  Sunday,  15  March 

Although  all  of  the  above  forms  are  in  good  use, 
the  first  is  recommended  to  you. 

Addresses  and  salutations  :  — 

Frederick  M.  Smith,  Esq.,  Mrs.  William  Donham, 

New  York  City.  New  Richmond,  Ohio. 

Dear  Sir :  Dear  Madam  : 


224  NOTES 

Mr.  Leslie  Curtis  Miss  Elizabeth  Mallard, 
95  Wabash  Avenue  Richfield, 

Chicago  Indiana. 

My  dear  Mr.  Curtis  My  dear  Miss  Mallard : 

Salutations :  — 

Dear  Henry,  Dear  Father, 

Dear  Henry,  —  Dear  Uncle,  — 

Dear  Henry  :  Dear  Grandfather : 

Dear  Henry  Dear  Cousin 

Within  the  range  indicated  by  the  above  correct 
forms,  people  punctuate  very  much  as  they  like.     No 
one  form  can  be  said  to  be  the  best,  but  this  form. 
Dear  Henry,  — 

is  at  least  as  good   as   any.     Additional   forms,  of 
varying  familiarity,  follow  :  — 

My  dear  Bessie,  My  dearest  Mother, 

My  dear  Brother, —  My  dear  Fred,— 

My  dear  Sir :  Dear  Sir  : 

Gentlemen :  —  Dear  Sirs  :'— 

Endings :  — 

Yours  very  truly,  Very  truly  yours, 

Arthur  Benton.  Editli  Burroughs. 

Yours  sincerely,  Sincerely  yours, 

William  Coolidge.  Anna  Chittenden. 

Cordially  yours,  Respectfully  yours, 

Ethel  Craig.  James  M.  Scott. 

Faithfully  yours  Yours  affectionately, 

Richard  Wright.  Ruth  Perry. 

With  much  love,  your  sou  Your  loving  daughter, 
Edward.  Km  ma. 


NOTES  .     225 

Addressed  letters  :  — 


Mr.  Charles  Taylor 

164  Fourth  Street 

Cincinnati 

Ohio 


Mrs.  Nathaniel  Wright 

Fulton 

Indiana 


Robert  Johnson,  Esq., 

Union  Building,  1312, 

New  York. 

8.  &   H.  RHET. 15 


226  NOTES 


Messrs.  Mansfield,"  Moore,  &  Co., 

118  Washington  St., 

Boston, 
Mass. 


Miss  Katharine  Wilder, 

Avondale, 

Kentucky. 


Lesson  56 

Bring  to  the  class  in  correct  written  form  the  place, 
date,  salutation,  and  conclusion  for  eacli  of  the  fol- 
lowing letters.  Write  one  of  the  letters  in  full. 

1.  To  a  friend,  who  is  convalescent. 

2.  Acknowledging  a  Christmas  present. 

3.  Asking  for  the  loan  of  some  books. 

4.  Sending  to  a  stranger,  whose  name  and  address  are  on 
the  flyleaf,  a  book  which  you  have  found  on  the  street. 


NOTES  227 

5.  Describing  a  debating  contest. 

6.  Asking  permission  to  play  baseball  on  a  vacant  lot. 

7.  Asking  permission  to  visit  a  factory. 

8.  Granting  the  permission  in  6  or  7. 

9.  Writing  to  a  former  teacher. 

10.    Inviting  a  trustee  to  visit  a  class  exercise. 

Lesson  57 
\Yrite  a  letter  :  — 

1.  To  a  friend,  discussing  a  picture  that  has  much  impressed 
you. 

2.  Describing  an  entertainment. 

3.  Describing  a  concert. 

Lesson  59 
^'rite  a  letter  :  — 

To  a  friend  of  your  own  age,  giving  your  opinion  of 
some  character  in  a  play  or  a  novel  which  you  have  recently 
read.  Your  friend  has  written  to  you,  saying,  "  I  don't  under- 
stand this  character  at  all."  If  you  are  in  doubt  what  char- 
acter to  choose,  your  teacher  will  gladly  direct  you. 

Lesson  6O 
Write  a  letter :  — 

1.  To  a  friend  of  yours  who  could  not  go  to  a  picnic  and  who 
asked   you   to  "  look  out  for "  his  little  brother.     The  small 
boy,  who  was  mischievous,  managed  to  get  away  from  you.    A 
little  while  later,  you  learned  that  he  had  fallen  from  a  swing 
and  had  broken  his  arm. 

2.  To  a  friend,  explaining  why  you  did  not  come  to  an 
entertainment,  although  your  name  was  on  the  programme. 


228  NOTES 

Lesson  61 
Write  a  letter  :  — 

1.  Keplying  to  the  letter  called  for  in  Lesson  59,  p.  108. 

2.  To  some  older  person,  asking  to  what  college  he  would 
advise  you  to  go. 

3.  Keplying  to  the  letter  in  No.  2. 

Lesson  62 
Write  a  letter  :  — 

1.  To  a  cousin  in  South  America. 

2.  To  the  editor  of  a  newspaper. 

3.  To  a  writer  of  a  cook  book. 

4.  To  a  college  professor. 

5.  To  a  clergyman. 

Lesson  63 

Write  your  friend's  answer,  telling  how  the  letter 
called  for  in  this  lesson  was  received.  Assume  that 
the  original  letter  aroused  mingled  approval  and  dis- 
sent. 

Lesson  64 

Write  a  letter  to  a  stranger,  dealing  with  one  of 
the  following  points  :  — 

1.  He   has   publicly  invited  correspondence  from   persons 
who  have  opinions  on  the  question  of  reducing  the  money  spent 
on  schools  above  the  grammar  grade. 

2.  He  delivered  an  address  to  your  school  a  year  ago  and 
promised   to  "help  out  the   boys,"  if   an  athletic   field  was 
secured.     The  field  has  been  secured,  but  it  has  neither  fence 
nor  stands. 


NOTES  229 

3.  He  has  promised  to  assist  in  the  selection  of  books  for 
the  library  as  soon  as  a  certain  sum  of  money  has  been  raised. 

4.  His  daughter  has  visited  the  girls'  literary  society  and 
has  promised  her  father's  assistance  in  the  selection  of  a  play. 
Tell  him  the  number  of  girls  who  are  willing  to  take  part  and 
what  they  are  able  to  do. 

Lesson  65 
Write  a  letter  :  — 

1.  To  your  cousin  Eleanor,  who  is  expecting  to  go  abroad 
next  summer.     Tell  her  what  places   you   would   most   like 
to  go  to,  and  why. 

2.  To  your  former  classmate,  Albert  Stone,  who  has  been 
away  from  home  for  a  year.     Tell  him  some  of  the  principal 
things  that  his  friends  have  been  doing. 

3.  To  your  friend,  Hiram  Lindley,  living  in  another  state, 
who  has  promised  to  spend  the  holidays  with  you.     Give  him  in- 
formation about  trains  and  direct  him  how  to  reach  your  house 
from  the  station  in  case  you  are  prevented  from  meeting  him. 

Lesson  66 

The  wording  of  formal  invitations  may  vary  some- 
what with  the  custom  of  different  years  and  places. 
There  is  no  absolute  standard.  The  following  forms 
will  be  found  generally  acceptable  :  - 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lewis  Wayne  request  the  pleasure  of  Mr. 
Pierce's  company  at  dinner  on  Wednesday  evening,  May 
twenty-first,  at  six. 

Miss  Gardiner  accepts  with  pleasure  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nel- 
son's kind  invitation  for  Thursday  evening,  April  twelfth,  at 
half-past  six. 


230 


NOTES 


Mrs.  Morton  Brooks  requests  the  pleasure  of  Miss  Sinclair's 
company  on  Tuesday  afternoon,  August  fifth,  at  four.  808 
East  Seneca  Street. 

Mr.  Alfred  Hamilton  regrets  that  a  previous  engagement 
prevents  him  from  accepting  Mrs.  Moore's  kind  invitation  for 
Tuesday,  September  tenth. 

Miss  Eugenia  Weir  requests  the  pleasure  of  Miss  Gray's 
company  at  luncheon  on  Wednesday,  February  fourteenth, 
at  one. 

Mr.  Scarborough  accepts  with  pleasure  Mrs.  Scott's  kind 
invitation  for  Monday,  November  eighteenth,  at  five  o'clock. 


Sometimes  "  your  company "  is  used ;  this  is  less 
formal  than  to  use  the  recipient's  name,  as  shown 
in  the  above  forms.  If  printed  invitations  are  used, 
either  of  the  following  forms  is  acceptable  :  - 


The  Lynn  Literary  Society 

requests  the  pleasure 

of  your  company  at  its 

annual  open  meeting, 

Tuesday,  May  twenty-ninth, 

at  eight  o'clock. 


The  Class  of  1907 

of  the 

Winchester  High  School 

requests  the  pleasure  of 

Miss  Robertson'* 

company  at  the 

Graduation  Exercises 

Wednesday  evening, 

June  second, 
at  eight  o'clock. 


Very  often  a  few  written  words  transform  a  visit- 
ing card  into  an  invitation  ;  thus  :  — 


NOTES 


231 


MRS.  FRANCIS  VAN  RENSSELAER 

Wednesday  Afternoon 

November  Eighth 
From  Three  to  Five 


This  is,  however,  rather  a  matter  of  etiquette  than 
of  English  composition. 


Lesson  67 

Informal  Notes :  - 

Madison,  October  31. 
My  dear  Miss  Harris,  — 

Our  football  team  is  going  to  play  against  Horton  Academy 
next  Saturday  afternoon.  May  I  have  the  pleasure  of  taking 
you  to  the  game?  1  don't  know  whether  you  approve  of  foot- 
ball, but  I  am  sure  it  will  be  a  splendid  contest.  If  you  care 
to  go,  I  shall  be  glad  to  call  for  you  at  two. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Frederick  Miller. 

Madison,  November  1. 
My  dear  Mr.  Miller,  — 

I  can  tell  better  whether  I  approve  of  football  after  I  have 
seen  it ;  so  it  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  go  with  you  next 
Saturday  afternoon  at  two  o'clock.  I  shall  be  eager  to  see-  my 
first  football  game. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Constance  Harris. 


232  NOTES 

New  Bedford,  6  June. 
My  dear  Uncle  Alfred, — 

I  have  just  sent  you  an  invitation  from  our  high  school  class 
for  our  graduation  exercises.  You  will  surely  come,  won't  you  ? 
Or  have  you  forgotten  that  you  often  faithfully  promised  to 
see  me  graduate  ? 

Affectionately  yours, 

Helen  Walker. 

Nonquitt,  June  7,  1907. 
My  dear  Helen,  — 

Of  course  I  am  coming,  for  I  always  do  what  I  faithfully 
promise.  The  formal  invitation  came  duly,  and  seemed  very 
imposing  to  one  whose  graduation  was  so  long  ago  that  he 
cannot  possibly  remember  it. 

Your  affectionate  uncle, 

Alfred  Kay. 

Lesson  69 

The  following  show  some  of  the  forms  used  in 
business  letters :  — 

Chicago,  Mar.  24,  1906. 
Messrs.  Keltner,  Ellis,  &  Co., 

25  W.  Tenth  Street,  Anderson,  Ind., 
Gentlemen :  — 

Eeplying  to  yours  of  the  23d  inst.,  we  have  to  say  that  we 
regret  that  we  cannot  rill  your  esteemed  order  immediately. 

We  have,  however,  another  line  of  goods  of  much  the  same 
quality,  samples  of  which  we  inclose  herewith,  with  prices 
attached.  These  goods  we  are  prepared  to  send  immediately. 
Material  of  the  kind  noted  in  your  order  is  due  us  from  the 
factory  by  the  7th  prox.  and  can  then,  of  course,  be  furnished 
you  in  any  quantity. 

Trusting  that  we  may  either  supply  you  from  the  goods  on 


NOTES  233 

hand,  or  keep  your  order  on  our  books  until  the  7th  of  next 
month,  as  above  stated,  we  beg  to  remain, 
Yours  truly, 

The  Crittenberger  Company. 
Inclosures. 

Huntington,  W.  Va. 

Sept.  25,  1907. 
The  Webster  Hardware  Company, 

Scran  ton,  Pa., 
Dear  Sirs :  — 

Please  send  me  C.O.D.,  per  Adams  Express,  one  set  lathe 
fittings,  No.  3,  as  per  your  current  catalogue,  page  24. 

Yours  truly, 

Horace  F.  Payson. 

Scranton,  Pa.,  Sept.  26,  1907. 
Mr.  Horace  F.  Payson, 
Huntington,  W.  Va., 
Dear  Sir: 

Replying  to  your  valued  order  of  25th  inst.,  we  beg  to  say 
that  we  have  this  day  shipped  you  C.  0.  D.,  per  Adams  Express, 
one  set  lathe  fittings,  No.  3,  and  trust  that  the  same  will  reach 
you  in  good  order. 

Yours  truly, 

The  Webster  Hardware  Company. 

Lesson  72 
Subjects  for  letters :  — 

1.  You  and  your  companions  are  trying  to  form  a  literary 
society.  In  all  probability  it  will  be  successful  if  a  suitable 
meeting  place  can  be  secured.  No  member's  home  that  is 
centrally  situated  contains  a  large  enough  room.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  meet  at  night.  The  assembly  room  of  the  school  has 
been  suggested.  Will  the  School  Board,  addressed  through  its 


234  NOTES 

Secretary,  permit  the  room  to  be  used  ?     Extra  lighting  and 
heating  are  involved. 

2.  A  friend  of  yours  has  expressed  a  desire  to  start  a  flower 
garden.    You  have  promised  to  assist  her.    Tell  her  what  seeds 
to  get  and  how  to  plant  and  take  care  of  them. 

3.  The  students  of  a  school  in  a  neighboring  town  have  col- 
lected fifty  dollars  to  be  used  for  the  purchase  of  reference 
books.     These  students  have  written  to  your  school  to  find  out 
what  books  are  most  useful  and  most  frequently  referred  to. 
You  have  been  asked  to  answer  the  letter.     Give  full  infor- 
mation. 

Lesson  73 

This  lesson  may  be  continued  by  returning  the 
letters  to  the  class,  no  one  receiving  bis  own  letter, 
and  eacb  one  answering  an  application  as  if  tbe  letter 
bad  been  addressed  to  him.  If  there  are  any  faults 
or  omissions  in  tbe  application,  tbey  sbould  be  courte- 
ously pointed  out. 

Lesson  75 

Assume  tbat  the  following  inquiries  have  been 
made  by  persons  with  whom  you  are  not  well  ac- 
quainted. Write  appropriate  answers  to  any  three 
of  them. 

1.  How  many  and  what  kind  of  novels  do  your  classmates 
read  ? 

2.  Do  the  members  of  your  class  who  have  a  long  walk  to 
school,  seem  to  be  in  better  health  than  the  others  ? 

3.  Do  those  of  your  class  who  have  outside  work,  such  as 
music,  fall  behind  the  rest  ? 

4.  Can  a  boy,   who  must   earn  his  own  living,  and  who 
wishes  a  high  school  education,  find  in  your  community  any 
position  which  will  meet  his  needs  ? 


NOTES  235 

5.  What  books  shall  be  recommended  for  the  summer  read- 
ing of  a  pupil  just  leaving  the  grammar  school  ? 

6.  A  woman  who  gives  practical  talks  on  cooking  inquires 
if  the  girls  of  your  school  would  support  a  course  of  six  or 
twelve  lectures. 

Lesson  79 
Write  letters  from  the  following  suggestions :  — 

1.  Your  friend,  Evelyn  Crawford,  asks  where  you  are  going 
to  spend  your  summer  vacation.     Give  your  plans  in  detail. 
Will  you  ask  her  to  join  you  ? 

2.  A  stranger,  Sidney  Crosby,  collecting  educational  statis- 
tics, asks  you  the  name  of  your  favorite  poem  and  the  reasons 
why  you  like  it. 

3.  A  business  house,  Messrs.  Judson  and  Drake,  has  sent 
you  a  bill,  charging  you  with  goods  you  did  not  order.     The 
goods  you  did  order  have  not  arrived.     You  are  sending  an 
additional  order  which  you  wish  forwarded  by  mail,  and  you 
have  recently  changed  your  street  address. 

4.  You  desire  full  information  regarding  -  —  College,  and 
you  ask   for  a  catalogue.     Are  you  eligible  for  admission  ? 
Have  you  thought  of  going  to  other  colleges  ?    Address  the 
Registrar  of  the  college. 

5.  You  wish  to  buy  a  new  piano,  offering  your  old  one  in 
part  payment.     Describe  your  own  piano  briefly  and  fairly. 
Address  the  Broadwood  Piano  Company,  St.  Louis. 

6.  An  acquaintance,  Mrs.  Walter  Baker,  asks  you  to  assist 
in  an  entertainment  for  the  benefit  of  charity.     One  of  the 
things   that   she  asks,  you  will  gladly  do ;    the  other,  upon 
which  she  seems  to  set  more  importance,  you  feel  that  you 
cannot  do.     Would  it  be  better  to  decline  altogether,  or  to 
accept  partly  ? 

7.  Your  cousin,  Sarah  Owens,  is  about  to  visit  a  large  city. 
You  wish  her  to  do  some  shopping  for  you. 


236 


NOTES 


Lesson  8O 

The  teacher  is  reminded  that  text-books  are  largely 
expository,  and  that,  therefore,  examples  of  exposi- 
tion may  constantly  be  drawn  from  the  student's 
daily  lessons. 

Alternative  subject :  — 

The  Game  I  Like  Best. 

Lesson  81 

Explain  the  difference  between  the  two  words  in 
each  of  the  following  pairs :  — 


1.  careful 
cautious 

2.  pleasure 
happiness 

3.  oral 
verbal 

4.  majority 
plurality 

5.  religious 
sanctimonious 

6.  strength 
energy 

7.  vision 
reverie 

8.  honest 
righteous 

9.  hope 
expectation 

10.    loss 
waste 


11.  sympathy 
pity 

12.  idle 
lazy 

1.3.    quite 
very     . 

14.  terror 
horror 

15.  debate 
argue 

1(>.    despair 
dejection 

17.  crime 
siii 

18.  emergency 
situation 

19.  disagreeable 
cynical 

20.  ideal 
typical 


NOTES  237 

Lesson  82 
Write  an  exposition  of  :  — 

1.  The  Advantages  of  Daring. 

2.  The  Advantages  of  Caution. 

Lesson  83 

Discuss  the  following  proverbs  :  — 

1.  Willful  waste  makes  woeful  want. 

2.  Time  is  money. 

3.  It  is  a  long  lane  that  has  no  turning. 

4.  Every  cloud  has  a  silver  lining. 

5.  Time  and  tide  wait  for  no  man. 

6.  Knowledge  comes,  but  wisdom  lingers. 

7.  Strike  while  the  iron  is  hot. 

8.  A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing. 

9.  A  bad  workman  complains  of  his  tools. 

10.  A  cat  may  look  at  a  king. 

11.  What  is  everybody's  business  is  nobody's  business. 

12.  It  is  no  sin  to  be  poor. 

13.  Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together. 

14.  Misfortune  is  a  good  teacher. 

15.  Nothing  venture,  nothing  have. 

16.  Joy  and  temperance  and  repose 
Slam  the  door  on  the  doctor's  nose. 

Lesson  84 

Write  themes  on  the  following  subjects  :  — 

1.  What  is  the  Use  of  a  Clearing  House? 

2.  What  is  the  Function  of  a  School  Board  ? 

3.  What  is  the  Function  of  the  County  Commissioners  ? 

4.  What  is  the  Use  of  Political  Parties  ? 


238  NOTES 

Lesson  85 
Explain  the  following  terms  :  — 

1.  A  doubtful  compliment.  7.  Physical  culture. 

2.  On  the  spur  of  the  moment.  8.  A  party  man  (political) 

3.  A  moral  certainty.  9.  A  critical  moment. 

4.  On  the  other  hand.  10.  A  foregone  conclusion. 

5.  A  mental  reservation.  11.  A  point  of  order. 

6.  A  question  of  privilege.  12.  An  insurance  policy. 

Lesson  86 
Write  themes  on  the  following  subjects :  — 

1.  Roofs.  .  4.    Doors. 

2.  Sidewalks.  5.   Windows. 

3.  Gates.  6.   Shade  Trees. 

Lesson  87 
Discuss  briefly  the  following  questions :  — 

1.  What  are  the  Uses  of  Express  Companies  ? 

2.  What  are  the  Advantages  of  Bank  Checks  ? 

3.  What  are  the  Advantages  of  Railroad  Tickets  ? 

4.  What  are  Mortgages  ? 

5.  What  is  the  Purpose  of  Education  ? 

Lesson  88 
Write  a  theme  on  :  — 

How  to  Make  the  Most  of  One's  Time. 

Lesson  89 
Explain :  — 

1.  How  to  Teach  a  Dog  to  Retrieve. 

2.  How  to  Make  Bread. 


NOTES  239 

3.  Why  Should  our  Forests  be  Preserved. 

4.  How  to  Make  Chicken  Raising  Profitable. 

5.  How  to  Learn  to  Row. 

6.  How  to  Dive. 

7.  How  to  Raise  a  Calf. 

8.  What  is  Meant  by  being  "  It "  in  a  Game. 

9.  How  to  Sweep  a  Room. 

10.   How  to  Make  a  Small  Garden  Pay. 

Lesson  90 
Write  themes  on  the  following  subjects :  — 

1.  Kinds  of  Pictures. 

2.  Kinds  of  Musical  Compositions. 

3.  Kinds  of  Dramas. 

Lesson  91 
Prepare  talks  on  the  following  subjects  :  — 

1.  The  Advantages  of  Living  in  the  Temperate  Zone. 

2.  The  Purpose  of  Dictionaries. 

3.  The  Benefits  of  Mathematical  Study. 

4.  What  Constitutes  a  Church. 

5.  The  Effects  of  Cooperation. 

6.  The  Object  of  Intel-scholastic  Contests. 

Lesson  92 

Write  a  theme  on  :  — 
Kinds  of  Buildings. 

Lesson  93 
Explain  the  following  expressions  :  — 

1.  A  business  proposition. 

2.  Half-witted. 


240  NOTES 

3.  An  unbridled  tongue. 

4.  Ban  amuck. 

5.  Humbug. 

6.  He  let  himself  go. 

7.  He  was  hard  put  to  it. 

8.  The  weight  of  evidence  is  against  him 

9.  They  talked  shop. 

10.  He  ate  humble  pie. 

11.  I  have  a  bone  to  pick  with  you. 

12.  They  said  it  to  his  face. 

13.  In  the  public  eye. 

14.  He  waived  the  question. 

15.  You  are  welcome  to  it. 

Lesson  94 
Write  themes  on  the  following  subjects:  — 

1.  What  are  the  Real  Drawbacks  of  Laziness? 

2.  What  are  the  Main  Difficulties  in  Learning  a  Foreign 
Language  ? 

Lesson  95 

Explain    the    meaning    of    the    following    expres- 
sions :  — 

1.  A  protective  tariff.  6.  Consensus  of  opinion. 

2.  A  geologic  epoch.  7.  A  Fabian  policy.  . 

3.  Retaliatory  measures.  8.  A  Parthian  shot. 

4.  Survival  of  the  fittest.  9.  The  courage  of  his  convic- 

5.  Popular  sentiment.  tions. 

Lesson  96 
Write  themes  on  the  following  subjects  :  — 

1.  How  Railroads  are  Built. 

2.  How  Levees  are  Constructed. 


NOTES  241 

3.  How  Wheat  is  Harvested. 

4.  How  Fire  Departments  Handle  Large  Fires. 

5.  How  Water  is  Supplied  to  a  Great  City. 

6.  How  Glass  is  Made. 

7.  How  Streets  are  Cleaned. 

Lesson  97 

Explain  the  nature  of  the  occupation  of  any  four  of 
the  following :  — 

1.  Mason.            ,  9.  Jeweler. 

2.  Stone  carver.  10.  Watchmaker. 

3.  Carpenter.  11.  Policeman. 

4.  Cabinetmaker.  12.  Detective. 

5.  Baker.  13.  Civil  engineer. 

6.  Confectioner.  14.  Mechanical  engineer. 

7.  Teller.  15.  Retailer. 

8.  Cashier.  16.  Jobber. 

Lesson  99 
Topics  for  subdivision  :  — 

1.  Charity.  6.  Entertainments. 

2.  Armies.  7.  Custom. 

3.  Insurance.  8.  Poetry. 

4.  Electricity.  9.  Government. 

5.  Observatories.  10.  Dogs. 

Lesson  1O1 
Topics  for  subdivision  :  — 

1.  Sewing.  3.   Wealth: 

2.  Liberty.  4.    The  Right  to  Vote. 

5.   Marketing. 

8.  &  II.  RHET. 10 


242  NOTES 

Lesson  1O2 
Topics  for  subdivision  :  - 

1.  Farming.  3.    The  Navy. 

2.  Sociability.  4.  Economy. 

Lesson  1O3 

The  dialogue  in  this  lesson  may  be  rewritten  as  di- 
rect exposition. 

Lesson  104 

Write  an  exposition  on  :  — 

1.  My  Difficulties  in  Writing  Exposition. 

2.  My  Idea  of  Friendship. 

»        3.  How  to  Use  a  Dictionary. 

4.  A  Rural  Telephone  System. 

5.  A  Watershed. 

6.  Volcanic  Action. 

7.  The  Mechanism  of  a  Cornet. 

8.  What  are  Weeds  ? 

9.  Why  I  Like  my  Favorite  Novel. 

10.  How  to  Break  a  Colt. 

11.  The  Value  of  Spare  Moments. 

Lesson  105 
Write  an  argument  on,  Was  her  Decision  Right? 

A  high  school  class  determined  to  give  a  play  the  night 
before  graduation.  A  girl  who  had  been  cast  for  the  main 
character  and  who  had  conscientiously  studied  the  part  was 
told,  after  a  few  rehearsals,  that  her  acting  was  not  quite  good 
enough  and  that  she  must  give  way  to  some  one  else.  She  was 
bitterly  disappointed,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  class  she  yielded 
her  part  to  the  other  girl.  The  night  before  the  performance, 


NOTES  243 

the  other  girl  fell  ill,  and  the  director  of  the  play  came  to  the 
first  girl  and  begged  her,  for  the  sake  of  the  class,  to  resume 
her  part.     Without  showing  feeling  of   any  kind  she  quietly 
j  accepted,  j     which  did  she  do  ?    Was  she  ^fa  ? 
[refused.    J 

Lesson  106 
Give  an  oral  argument  on  the  following  :  — 

1.  Ought  Every  One  to  Learn  Shorthand? 

2.  Ought  Non-Voters  to  be  Taxed  ? 

Lesson  1O7 
Write  an  argument  on  the  following :  — 

1.  Should  Capital  Punishment  be  Abolished? 

2.  Should  School  Begin  at  Eight  ? 

3.  Ought  Brutus  to  have  followed  the  Advice  of  Cassius  ? 

Quote  at  the  beginning  of  your  theme  on  the  third  topic, 
Julius  Ccesar,  II,  i,  155-161,  where  Cassius  says  :  — 

Decius,  well  urged.  —  I  think  it  not  meet 
Mark  Antony,  so  well  beloved  of  Caesar, 
Should  outlive  Caesar.     We  shall  find  of  him 
A  shrewd  contriver,  and  you  know  his  means, 
If  he  improve  them,  may  well  stretch  so  far 
As  to  annoy  us  all ;  which  to  prevent, 
Let  Antony  and  Caesar  fall  together. 

Lesson  108 
Prepare  oral  arguments  on  :  — 

1.  Is  a  Large  Standing  Army  Desirable? 

2.  Is  a  Large  Navy  Desirable  ? 

3.  Should  Public  Hitch  Racks  be  Abolished  ? 

4.  Ought  a  Person  to  go  in  Debt  for  a  College  Education  ? 


244  NOTES 

Lesson  1O9 
Prepare  outlines  for  arguments  on  :  — 

1.  Should  People  be   Punished   for   Throwing   Refuse   in 
Alleys  ? 

2.  Should  a  Fixed  Period  be  Spent  in  Sleep  ? 

3.  Should  All  High  School  Subjects  be  Elective  ? 

Lesson  110 
Prepare  oral  arguments  on :  — 

1.  Should  one  Kef  use  to  be  the  Thirteenth  at  the  Table  ? 

2.  Should  the  School  Day  have  Two  Short  Sessions  or  One 
Long  Session  ? 

3.  Was  Portia's  Decision  against  Shy  lock  Justified  ? 

Lesson  111 
Write  arguments  on  :  — 

1.  Should  a  Student  be  Passed  who  is  Dull  but  Industrious  ? 

2.  Was  Antony  a  Wiser  Man  than  Brutus  ? 

3.  Should  Cities  Own  and  Operate  Public  Utilities? 

Lesson  112 
Prepare  oral  arguments  oh  :  - 

1.  Should   a  Boy   while   in   High    School   Determine   his 
Future  Profession  ? 

2.  Should  Girls  and  Boys  Study  the  Same  Subjects  ? 

3.  Should   a  Person  be  Assumed   Innocent   until   Proved 

Guilty  ? 

Lesson  113 

Write  arguments  on  :  — 

1.  Should  the  Government  Own  and  Operate  the  Railways  ? 

2.  Should  the  Government  Own  and  Operate  the  Telegraph 
systems  ? 


NOTES  245 

3.  Should   the  Government  Own  and   Operate   a   Parcels 
Post  ? 

4.  Should  a  Good  Student  be  Excused  from  Examinations  ? 

5.  Should  the  School  Letter  be  awarded  to  a  Good  Student 
as  well  as  to  a  Good  Athlete  ? 

Lesson  114 
Write  arguments  on :  — 

4 

1.  Are  High  School  Literary  Societies  Desirable? 

2.  Are  Charitable  Organizations  of  More  Value  than  Private 
Benevolence  ? 

3.  Is  Manual  Training  an  Adequate  Substitute  for  Athletics  ? 

4.  Should  Music  be  a  Regular  Part  of  Every  One's  Educa- 
tion? 

Lesson  115 

Write  arguments  on  :  — 

1.  Should  the  School  Year  be  Lengthened  ? 

2.  Should  Outside  Reading  be  Compulsory  ? 

3.  Should  Letter  Postage  be  Reduced  to  One  Cent  ? 

Lesson  116 
Prepare  oral  arguments  on  :  — 

1.  Is  a  Distasteful  Subject  ever  Beneficial  ? 

2.  Should  United  States  Senators  be  Elected  by  Popular 
Vote? 

3.  Was  Antony's  Funeral  Oration  Good  Argument  ? 


Lesson  117 
Write  arguments  on  :  — 

1.  Is  Pauperism  a  Crime  ? 

2.  Is  Extravagance  a  Sin? 


246  NOTES 

Lesson  118 

Prepare  oral  arguments  on  propositions  drawn  from 
the  following  subjects  :  — 

1.  The  High  School  Course  of  Study. 

2.  Irrigation. 

3.  The  Flow  of  Population  toward  Cities. 

4.  Light  Reading. 
» 

Lesson  119 

Write  arguments  in  defense  of :- 

1.  Educational  Qualification  for  Jurors. 

2.  The  Separation  of  Church  and  State. 

3.  General  and  Technical  Education. 

Lesson  120 

Prepare  oral  arguments  on  propositions  drawn  from 
the  following  subjects  :  — 

1.  The  Length  of  the  Presidential  Term. 

2.  Rotation  in  Office. 

3.  Naturalization  of  Foreigners. 

4.  Religious  Auxiliary  Societies. 

5.  The  Reading  of  Poetry. 

Lesson  121 

Write  arguments  on  propositions  drawn  from  the 
following  subjects  :  — 

1.  The  Value  of  Historical  Study. 

2.  The  Value  of  Scientific  Study. 

3.  The  Value  of  Literary  Study. 


NOTES  247 

Lesson  122 

Prepare  oral  arguments  on  propositions  drawn  from 
the  following  subjects :  — 

1.  Accuracy,  3.   Patriotism. 

2.  Culture.  4.   Debating. 

Lesson  123 

Write  arguments  on  propositions  drawn  from  the 
following  subjects :  — 

1.  School  Life.  3.   Enthusiasm. 

2.  Temperance.  4.   Citizenship. 

Lesson  126 

The  dialogue  in  this  lesson  may  be  rewritten  as 
direct  argument. 

Lesson  127 

Write  an  argument  upon  some  phase  of  either  of 
of  these  subjects  :  — 

1.   SUPERSTITION 

Look  up  the  meaning  of  the  word,  and  after  con- 
sidering the  subject,  draw  from  it  some  proposition 
that  you  are  willing  to  defend.  The  proposition  may 
be  general  or  special.  The  following  questions  will 
indicate  to  you  some  of  the  aspects  of  the  subject :  - 

What  is  the  difference  between  superstition  and  religion? 
Is  it  wrong  for  a  person  to  conform  to  a  superstition  if  he  really 
believes  in  it  ?  Ought  a  person  to  discourage  superstitions  in 
others  ?  Are  superstitions  absurd  ?  Are  any  of  them  plausible  ? 


248  NOTES 

Are  they  really  very  frequent  ?  Are  superstitious  people  gen- 
erally unreasonable  ?  Is  there  any  relation  between  coinci- 
dences and  superstitions  ?  Is  everybody  superstitious  about 
something?  Have  you  an  opinion  about  the  following:  start- 
ing an  enterprise  on  Friday,  a  rabbit's  foot,  walking  under  a 
ladder,  planting  corn  on  the  dark  of  the  moon,  madstories,  hazel 
rods,  thirteen,  breaking  a  mirror,  opening  an  umbrella  in  the 
house,  spilling  salt,  putting  on  the  left  shoe  first,  seeing  the 
moon  over  the  left  shoulder  ? 

2.    THE  FORCE  OF  HABIT 

What  is  meant  by  habit  ?  How  far  are  we  subject  to 
habit  ?  Can  habit  be  cultivated  ?  Are  habits  lasting  ?  Can 
they  be  broken  ?  What  is  the  effect  of  yielding  to  habit  ? 
How  may  habits  be  utilized  ? 


SENTENCES   FOR    CORRECTION 

From  time  to  time  the  teacher  will  assign  some  of 
the  following  sentences  for  correction.  The  corrected 
sentences  should  be  written  out  on  paper  and  brought 
to  class.  Each  student  must  be  prepared  to  justify 
the  changes  he  has  made. 

Note  that  a  given  sentence  may  contain  more  than 
one  error,  and  that  some  of  the  sentences  require  to 
be  recast. 

1.  When  the  messenger  comes,  let  us  all  collect  in  a  group 
like  we  were  reading. 

2.  I  knew  I  was  going  to  get  the  desk  and  I  remember  so 
well  when  it  first  came  and  I  saw  it  in  all  its  glory  in  the  shop 
window. 

3.  Well,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  school  is  not  hardly  what  I 
expected  it  to  be. 

4.  I  believe  that  I  will  enjoy  the  commencement  this  year. 

5.  I  thought  it  would  be  best  to  stay  as  I  would  not  get  to 
attend  the  university  next  year. 

6.  ^Sinco  I  became  a  stndenjb,  I  have  spent  three  summers  in 
school,  and  have,  I  think,  received  a  great  deal  of  good  from  it. 

7.  He  tells  how  he  left  home  and  what  suffering  he  under- 
goes. 

8.  I  feel  that  he  was  always  a  sort  of  a  dreamer. 

9.  He  wandered  into  London,  where  without  scarcely  any 
means  of  support  he  lived  in  an  attic. 

10.    The  teacher  should  study  the  lazy  and  careless  students 
in  order  to  discover  the  cause  of  it. 

249 


250  SENTENCES   FOR   CORRECTION 

11.  A  pupil  should  be  polite  to  everybody  and  especially  his 
mother. 

12.  Teachers  should  be  careful  not  to  give  too  much  help  or 
the  pupil  will  depend  too  much  upon  him. 

13.  He  tells  of  his  actual  experiences,  and  wanders  away 
from     the     subject,    if     his    writing    suggests    some    other 
thought. 

14.  Many  country  schoolhouses  are  in  poor  condition  and 
cannot  be  well  heated  nor  made  inviting. 

15.  New  and  modern  houses  must  of  course  be  built   for 
these  schools,  which  will  be  comfortable  and  inviting. 

16.  The  teacher  should  be  interested  in  the  students  and 
they  should  become  members  of  the  community  in  which  they 
teach. 

17.  The  student  will  learn  to  be  neat  if  the  teachers  give  a 
better  grade  for  carefully  prepared  work  and  refusing  to  accept 
any  work  that  is  poorly  done. 

18.  When  a  boy,  Wordsworth  had  a  strong  imagination  and 
it  had  a  large  development  as  he  grew  older. 

19.  This  fact  was  brought  home  to  me  when  not  long  ago 
my  room-mate  missed  a  certain  article,  and  of  which  articles 
he  had  quite  a  number. 

20.  There  were  but  few  houses  on  the  pike,  but  we  passed 
several  people  coming  to  town. 

21.  After  a  person  has  mastered  a  subject,  he  should  apply 
his  knowledge  immediately  for  fear  he  might  forget  and  in  as 
many  different  ways  as  possible. 

22.  It  is  proper  for  a  student  to  raise  his  hat  to  every  one  as 
well  as  his  teacher. 

23.  In  a  country  school,  the  pupils  have  no  outside  attrac- 
tions to  draw  him  away  from  his  work. 

24.  The  best  plan  to  follow  is  to  each  one  to  strive  to  do  a 
little  better  every  day. 

25.  The  Juke  family  was  traced  for  generations  back,  and 
was  found  that  heredity  is  very  important. 


SENTENCES  FOR  CORRECTION  251 

26.  The  horse,  having  laid  down,  was  quickly  surrounded 
and  caught. 

27.  Let  him  lay  where  he  has  fallen. 

28.  Won't  you  lose  the  knot  for  me  ? 

29.  I  have  laid  on  the  sofa  all  afternoon. 

30.  That  fellow  has  set  there  for  two  hours. 

31.  He  has  rode  twenty  miles  to  see  his  friends  today. 

32.  My  father  has  wrote  a  long  letter,  telling  how  the  mob 
hung  the  criminal. 

33.  I  suspect  that  John  has  already  ate  his  dinner. 

34.  The  letter  was  to  have  been  wrote  yesterday. 

35.  We  should  have  wore  our  raincoats. 

36.  He  swang  his  arms  about  and  behaved  like  a  madman. 

37.  He  has  throwed  the  ball  over  the  catcher's  head. 

38.  Before  he  had  swam  half  the  distance  he  signaled  for  the 
boat  to  come  and  get  him. 

39.  Writing  essays  is  not  easy.     Requiring  much  practice 
before  perfect. 

40.  He  began  work  next  morning.   Though  he  had  been  told 
to  take  a  longer  vacation. 

41.  Passing  along  the  street,    our   eyes   feasted   upon   the 
beautiful  displays  in  the  windows. 

42.  Our  crowd  formed  a  literary  society  last  Friday  evening, 
and  to  arrange  to  present  a  play. 

43.  In  the  morning,  when  standing  on  the  highest  mountain, 
the  foothills  look  like  a  small  cluster  of  graves. 

44.  The  girls  have  gone  to  the  city  and  went  to  the  art  gallery. 

45.  Realizing  that  we  had  made  a  serious  mistake,  there  was 
a  general  desire  to  turn  back  at  once. 

46.  I  would  have  thought  that  he  would  have  known  what 
would  have  happened. 

47.  Circling  the  hill  in  an  automobile,  the  fences  seemed  to 
be  going  in  the  opposite  direction. 

48.  After  waiting  a  long  time  on  the  corner  for  a  street  car, 
there  was  a  mad  rush  for  the  few  remaining  seats. 


252  SENTENCES   FOR  CORRECTION 

49.  There  was  but  one  rocking  chair  in  my  office,  which  the 
stranger  appropriated  at  once. 

50.  After  rewriting  every  sentence,  the  chapter  was  made 
acceptable. 

51.  Being  a  stormy  day,  I  took  my  raincoat  and  umbrella. 

52.  Following  the  advice  of  unwise  friends,  his  campaign 
was  a  decided  failure. 

53.  Having  failed  to  reach  the  shore,  nothing  remained  to 
do  but  to  return  at  once  to  the  ship. 

54.  Reaching  the  battlefield,  a  terrible  scene  presented  itself 
to  their  eyes. 

55.  One  of  the  boys  lost  their  hat  and  was  compelled  to  buy 
a  new  one. 

56.  Carrying  the  little  boy's  books  and  walking  by  his  side, 
he  could  hear  the  men  down  the  road  calling  his  name,  and  lie 
knew  before  many  minutes  the  neighbors  would  be  rejoicing 
that  he  had  been  found. 

57.  He  was  a  lawyer  and  he   had  practiced  it  for  many 
years. 

58.  We  sang  songs  on  our  return  trip  that  evening,  which 
was  most  enjoyable. 

59.  The  fellow  was  tall,  with  broad  shoulders  and  dark  eyes 
and  hair,  and  between  eighteen  and  twenty  years  of  age. 

60.  We  skated  for  three  hours,  but  finally  one  of  the  boys 
suggested  that  we  hunt  rabbits,  but  we  decided  to  stay  a  little 
longer  on  the  pond  as  we  would  have  to  take  our  dinner  baskets 
with  us. 

61.  They  seem  strong  enough  and  to  be  willing  to  work. 

62.  I, stopped  the  boys,  they  told  me  they  were  going  to  the 
country  for  the  day. 

63.  In  the  summer,  the  boys  play  baseball;  when  the  fall 
season  arrives,  football  is  indulged  in. 

64.  He  came  back  this  morning  to  see  his  sisters  and  I. 

65.  He  hadn't  ought  to  done  it.  * 

66.  Neither  she  nor  nobody  else  ever  saw  a  ghost. 


SENTENCES   FOR   CORRECTION  253 

67.  Will  I  close  the  door  for  you  ? 

68.  When  will  us  boys  have  another  chance  to  play  base- 
ball ? 

69.  I  fear  mother  shall  not  let  us  go  without  the  sun  comes 
out. 

70.  I  wish  I  could  write  like  Mary  can. 

71.  Us  going  by  the  home  of  Mr.  Hendricks  made  me  think 
of  him  and  his  sick  boy. 

7-.    I  cannot  hardly  see  across  the  street. 

73.  Oliver  Goldsmith  was  more  than  once  arrested  for  not 
paying  his  debts,  he  was  the  author  of  The  Vicar  of  Wakejield. 

74.  Yes  he  replied  I  will  be  glad  to  come. 

75.  Now  I  lie  me  down  to  sleep. 

76.  Who's  cat  is  this  ? 

77.  Their  are  many  pupils  absent  today,  the  rain  has  kept 
them  away 

78.  I  will  not  take  less  than    two  dollars  for   the   skates 
answered   the  merchant  as  he  turned  to  wait  upon  some  one 
else. 

79.  We  found  scattered  about  the  room  books,  shoes,  cloth- 
ing, and  etc. 

80.  The  teacher  looked  at  our  papers  and  then  quietly  re- 
marked  boys  you   have  often  heard  that  haste  makes  waste 
dont  you  think  the  work  you  have  done  is  a  good  instance  of 
the  truth  of  the  proverb 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

Below  are  additional  specimens  of  discourse,  which, 
at  the  teacher's  option,  can  be  used  to  supplement 
those  to  be  found  at  the  end  of  the  different  chapters 
of  the  book.  A  good  drill  will  be  to  have  the  pupils 
distinguish  the  various  forms  of  discourse  exemplified 
in  these  specimens.  The  pupils  will  find  it  both  in- 
teresting and  profitable  to  note  how  a  writer  will 
often  use  two  or  more  forms  of  discourse  in  the  same 
composition. 

It  was  towards  ten  o'clock  when,  from  the  high  ground  on 
the  right  of  the  line,  Wolfe  saw  that  the  crisis  was  near. 
The  order  was  given  to  charge.  Then  over  the  field  rose  the 
British  cheer,  mixed  with  the  fierce  yell  of  the  Highland  slo- 
gan. Some  of  the  corps  pushed  forwards  with  the  bayonet ; 
some  advanced  firing.  The  clansmen  drew  their  broadswords 
and  dashed  on,  keen  and  swift  as  bloodhounds.  At  the  Eng- 
lish right,  though  the  attacking  column  was  broken  to  pieces, 
a  fire  was  still  kept  up,  chiefly,  it  seems,  by  sharpshooters 
from  the  bushes  and  cornfields,  where  they  had  lain  for  an 
hour  or  more.  Here  Wolfe  himself  led  the  charge  at  the  head 
of  the  Louisburg  grenadiers.  A  shot  shattered  his  wrist.  He 
wrapped  his  handkerchief  about  it  and  kept  on.  Another 
shot  struck  him,  and  he  still  advanced,  when  a  third  lodged 
in  his  breast.  He  staggered,  and  sat  on  the  ground.  Lieu- 
tenant Brown,  of  the  grenadiers,  one  Henderson,  a  volunteer 
in  the  same  company,  and  a  private  soldier,  aided  by  an  officer 

254 


SPECIMENS   OF  DISCOURSE  255 

of  artillery  who  ran  to  join  them,  carried  him  in  their  arms  to 

the  rear.     He  begged  them  to  lay  him  down.     They  did  so, 

and  asked  if  he  would  have  a  surgeon. 

"  There  is  no  need,"  he  answered  ;  "  it's  all  over  with  me." 
A  moment  after  one  of  them  cried  out:  "They  run;  see  how 

they  run  ! " 

"  \Yho  run?"  Wolfe  demanded,  like  a  man   roused   from 

sleep. 

"  The  enemy,  sir.     Egad,  they  give  way  everywhere  !  " 
"Go,  one  of  you,  to  Colonel  Burton,"  returned   the  dying 

man;    "tell  him  to  march  Webb's  regiment  down  to  Charles 

River,  to  cut  off  their  retreat  from  the  bridge." 

Then,  turning  on  his  side,  he  murmured,  "  Now,  God  be 

praised,  I  will  die  in   peace ! "    and  in  a  few  moments   his 

gallant  soul  had  fled. 

—  FRANCIS  PARKMAN,  Montcalm  and  Wolfe.1 


Down  the  wooded  slope  of  Taylor's  Hill  the  Mother  Par- 
tridge led  her  brood ;  down  towards  the  crystal  brook  that  by 
some  strange  whim  was  called  Mud  Creek.  Her  little  ones 
were  one  day  old,  but  already  quick  on  foot,  and  she  was 
taking  them  for  the  first  time  to  drink. 

She  walked  slowly,  crouching  low  as  she  went,  for  the 
woods  were  full  of  enemies.  She  was  uttering  a  soft  little 
cluck  in  her  throat,  a  call  to  the  little  balls  of  mottled  down 
that  on  their  tiny  pink  legs  came  toddling  after,  and  peeping 
softly  and  plaintively  if  left  even  a  few  inches  behind,  and 
seeming  so  fragile  they  made  the  very  chicadees  look  big 
and  coarse.  There  were  twelve  of  them,  but  Mother  Grouse 
watched  them  all,  and  she  watched  every  bush  and  tree  and 
thicket,  and  the  whole  woods  and  the  sky  itself.  Always  for 
enemies  she  seemed  seeking  —  friends  were  too  scarce  to  be 
looked  for  —  and  an  enemy  she  found.  Away  across  the  level 

1  Copyrighted  by,  and  reprinted  by  permission  of,  Little,  Brown  &  Co. 


256  SPECIMENS  OF   DISCOURSE 

beaver  meadow  was  a  great  brute  of  a  fox.  He  was  coming 
their  way,  and  in  a  few  moments  would  surely  wind  them  or 
strike  their  trail.  There  was  no  time  to  lose. 

"Krrr!  AV/v/"  (Hide  !  Hide!)  cried  the  mother  in  a  low 
firm  voice,  and  the  little  bits  of  things,  scarcely  bigger  than 
acorns  and  but  a  day  old,  scattered  far  (a  few  inches)  apart  to 
hide.  One  dived  under  a  leaf,  another  between  two  roots,  a 
third  crawled  into  a  curl  of  birch-bark,  a  fourth  into  a  hole, 
and  so  on,  till  all  were  hidden  but  one  who  could  find  no  cover, 
so  squatted  on  a  broad  yellow  chip  and  lay  very  flat,  and 
closed  his  eyes  very  tight,  sure  that  now  he  was  safe  from 
being  seen.  They  ceased  their  frightened  peeping  and  all 
was  still. 

Mother  Partridge  flew  straight  toward  the  dreaded  beast, 
alighted  fearlessly  a  few  yards  to  one  side  of  him,  and  then 
flung  herself  on  the  ground,  flopping  as  though  winged  and 
Jame  —  oh,  so  dreadfully  lame  —  and  whining  like  a  dis- 
tressed puppy.  Was  she  begging  for  mercy  —  mercy  from  a 
bloodthirsty,  cruel  fox  ?  Oh,  dear  no !  She  was  no  fool. 
One  often  hears  of  the  cunning  of  the  fox.  Wait  and  see 
what  a  fool  he  is  compared  with  a  mother-partridge.  Elated 
at  the  prize  so  suddenly  within  his  reach,  the  fox  turned  with 
a  dash  and  caught  —  at  least,  no,  he  didn't  quite  catch  the 
bird;  she  flopped  by  chance  just  a  foot  out  of  reach.  He 
followed  with  another  jump,  and  would  have  seized  her  this 
time  surely,  but  somehow  a  sapling  came  just  between,  and 
the  partridge  dragged  herself  awkwardly  away  and  under  a 
log ;  but  the  great  brute  snapped  his  jaws  and  bounded  over 
the  log,  while  she,  seeming  a  trifle  less  lame,  made  another 
clumsy  forward  spring  and  tumbled  down  a  bank,  and  Rey- 
nard, keenly  following,  almost  caught  her  tail,  but,  oddly 
enough,  fast  as  he  went  and  leaped,  she  still  seemed  just  a 
trifle  faster.  It  was  most  extraordinary.  A  winged  partridge 
and  he,  Reynard,  the  Swift-foot,  had  not  caught  her  in  five 
minutes'  racing.  It  was  really  shameful.  But  the  partridge 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE  257 

seemed  to  gain  strength  as  the  fox  put  forth  his,  and  after 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  race,  racing  that  was  somehow  all  away 
from  Taylor's  Hill,  the  bird  got  unaccountably  quite  well,  and, 
rising  with  a  derisive  whir,  flew  off  through  the  woods  leav- 
ing the  fox  utterly  du  in  founded  to  realize  that  he  had  been 
made  a  fool  of  and,  worst  of  all,  he  now  remembered  that 
this  was  not  the  first  time  he  had  been  served  this  very  trick, 
though  he  never  knew  the  reason  for  it. 

Meanwhile  Mother  Partridge  skimmed  in  a  great  circle,  and 
came  by  a  roundabout  way  back  to  the  little  fuzz-balls  she  had 
left  hidden  in  the  woods. 

—  ERNKST  TIIOMPSON-SETON,   Wild  Animals  I  have' Known.1 

Napoleon  was  sitting  in  his  tent.  Before  him  lay  a  map  of 
Italy.  He  took  four  pins,  stuck  them  up,  measured,  moved  the 
pins,  and  measured  again.  "  Now,"  said  he,  "  that  is  right. 
I  will  capture  him  there." 

"  Who,  sire  ?  "  said  an  officer. 

"  Melas,  the  old  fox  of  Austria.  He  will  return  from  Genoa, 
pass  through  Turin,  and  fall  back  on  Alexandria.  I  will  cross 
the  Po,  meet  him  on  the  plains  of  La  Servia,  and  conquer  him 
there."  And  the  finger  of  the  child  of  destiny  pointed  to 
Marengo.  But  God  thwarted  Napoleon's  schemes,  and  the 
well-planned  victory  of  Napoleon  became  a  terrible  defeat. 

Just  as  the  day  was  lost,  IJesaix  came  sweeping  across  the 
field  at  the  head  of  his  cavalry  and  halted  near  the  eminence 
where  stood  Napoleon.  In  the  corps  was  a  drummer  boy,  a 
gamin  whom  Desaix  had  picked  up  in  the  streets  of  Paris, 
and  who  had  followed  the  victorious  eagles  of  France  in  the 
campaigns  of  Egypt  and  Austria. 

As  the  column  halted,  Napoleon  shouted  to  him :  "  Beat  a 
retreat." 

The  boy  did  not  stir. 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  Charles  Scribner's  Sons, 
s.  &  H.  RHKT.  —  17 


258  SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

"  Gamin,  beat  a  retreat !  " 

The  boy  grasped  his  drumsticks,  stepped  forward,  and  said  : 
"  0  sire,  I  don't  know  how,  Desaix  never  taught  me  that.  But 
I  can  beat  a  charge.  Oh  !  I  can  beat  a  charge  that  would  make 
the  dead  fall  in  line.  I  beat  that  charge  at  the  Pyramids  once, 
and  L  beat  it  at  Mount  Tabor,  and  I  beat  it  again  at  the  Bridge 
of  Lodi,  and  oh  !  may  I  beat  it  here  ?  " 

Napoleon  turned  to  Desaix:  "  We  are  beaten  ;  what  shall  we 
do?" 

"  Do  ?  Beat  them  !  There  is  time  to  win  victory  yet.  Up ! 
gamin,  the  charge  !  Beat  the  old  charge  of  Mount  Tabor  and 
Lodi!"  ' 

A  moment  later  the  corps,  following  the  sword  gleam  of 
Desaix,  and  keeping  step  to  the  furious  roll  of  the  gamin  drum, 
swept  down  on  the  host  of  Austria.  They  drove  the  first  line 
back  on  the  second,  the  second  back  on  the  third,  and  there 
they  died.  Desaix  fell  at  the  first  volley,  but  the  line  nrvn- 
faltered.  And,  as  the  smoke  cleared  away,  the  gamin  was  seen 
in  front  of  the  line,  marching  right  on  and  still  beating  the 
furious  charge.  Over  the  dead  and  wounded,  over  the  breast- 
works and  ditches,  over  the  cannon  and  rear  guard  he  led  the 
way  to  victory. 

To-day  men  point  to  Marengo  with  wonderment.  They  laud 
the  power  and  foresight  that  so  skillfully  planned  the  battle; 
but  they  forget  that  Napoleon  failed,  and  that  a  gamin  of  Paris 
put  to  shame  the  child  of  destiny. 

—  JOEL  T.  HEADLEY,   Napoleon  and  /<<>•  Mar*h<tl$. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  valley  a  group  of  red  roofs  and  a 
belfry  showed  among  the  foliage.  Thence  some  inspired  bell- 
ringer  made  the  afternoon  musical  on  a  chime  of  bells.  There 
was  something  very  sweet  and  taking  in  the  air  he  played ;  ami 
we  thought  we  l^ad  never  heard  bells  speak  so  intelligibly,  or 
sing  so  melodiously,  as  these.  It  must  have  been  to  some  such 
measure  that  the  spinners  and  the  young  maids  sang,  " 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE  259 

away,  Death,"  in  the  Shakespearean  Illyria.  There  is  so  often 
a  threatening  note,  something  blatant  and  metallic,  in  the 
voice  of  bells,  that  I  believe  we  have  fully  more  pain  than 
pleasure  from  hearing  them;  but  these,  as  they  sounded 
abroad,  now  high,  now  low,  now  with  a  plaintive  cadence  that 
caught  the  ear  like  the  burthen  of  a  popular  song,  were  always 
moderate  and  tunable,  and  seemed  to  fall  in  with  the  spirit  of 
still,  rustic  places,  like  the  noise  of  a  waterfall  or  the  babble  of 
a  rookery  in  spring.  I  could  have  asked  the  bell  ringer  for 
his  blessing,  good,  sedate  old  man,  who  swung  the  rope  so 
gently  to  the  time  of  his  meditations.  .  .  . 

At  last  the  bells  ceased,  and  with  their  note  the  sun  with- 
drew. The  piece  was  at  an  end  ;  shadow  and  silence  possessed 
the  valley  of  the  Oise.  We  took  to  the  paddle  with  glad 
hearts,  like  people  who  have  sat  out  a  noble  performance, 
and  return  to  work.  The  river  was  more  dangerous  here ;  it 
ran  swifter,  the  eddies  were  more  sudden  and  violent.  All  the 
way  down  we  had  had  our  fill  of  difficulties.  Sometimes  it  was 
a  weir  which  could  be  shot,  sometimes  one  so  shallow  and  full  of 
stakes  that  we  must  withdraw  the  boats  from  the  water  and 
carry  them  round.  But  the  chief  sort  of  obstacle  was  a  conse- 
quence of  the  late  high  winds.  Every  two  or  three  hundred 
yards  a  tree  had  fallen  across  the  river  and  usually  involved  more 
than  another  in  its  fall.  Often  there  was  free  water  at  the 
end,  and  we  could  steer  round  the  leafy  promontory  and  hear 
the  water  sucking  and  bubbling  among  the  twigs.  Often,  again, 
when  the  tree  reached  from  bank  to  bank,  there  was  room,. by 
lying  close,  to  shoot  through  underneath,  canoe  and  all.  Some- 
times it  was  necessary  to  get  out  upon  the  trunk  itself  and  pull 
the  boats  across ;  and  sometimes,  where  the  stream  was  too 
impetuous  fof  this,  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  land  and 
"  carry  over."  This  made  a  fine  series  of  accidents  in  the 
day's  career,  and  kept  us  aware  of  ourselves. 

Shortly  after  our  ree  in  bark  at  ion,  while  I  was  leading  by  a 
long  way,  and  still  full  of  a  noble,  exulting  spirit  in  honor  of 


260  SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

the  sun, 'the  swift  pace,  and  the  church  bells,  the  river  made 
one  of  its  leonine  pounces  round  a  corner,  and  I  was  aware  of 
another  fallen  tree  within  a  stone-cast.  I  had  my  backboard 
down  in  a  trice,  and  aimed  for  a  place  where  the  trunk  seemed 
high  enough  above  the  water,  and  the  branches  not  too  thick 
to  let  me  slip  below.  When  a  man  has  just  vowed  eternal 
brotherhood  with  the  universe,  he  is  not  in  a  temper  to  take 
great  determinations  coolly,  and  this,  which  might  have  been 
a  very  important  determination  for  me,  had  not  been  taken 
under  a  happy  star. 

The  tree  caught  me  about  the  chest,  and  while  I  was  yet 
struggling  to  make  less  of  myself  and  get  through,  the  river 
took  the  matter  out  of  my  hands,  and  bereaved  me  of  my  boat. 
The  Arethusa  swung  round  broadside  on,  leaned  over,  ejected 
so  much  of  me  as  still  remained  on  board,  and  thus  disencum- 
bered, whipped  under  the  tree,  righted,  and  went  merrily  away 
downstream. 

I  do  not  know  how  long  it  was  before  I  scrambled  on  to  the 
tree  to  which  I  was  left  clinging,  but  it  was  longer  than  I 
cared  about.  My  thoughts  were  of  a  grave  and  almost  soml»or 
character,  but  I  still  clung  to  my  paddle.  The  stream  ran 
away  with  my  heels  as  fast  as  I  could  pull  up  my  shoulders, 
and  I  seemed,  by  the  weight,  to  have  all  the  water  of  the  Oise 
in  my  trouser  pockets.  You  can  never  know,  till  you  try  it. 
what  a  dead  pull  a  river  makes  against  a  man.  Death  him- 
self had  me  by  the  heels,  for  this  was  his  last  ambuscado,  and 
he  must  now  join  personally  in  the  fray.  And  still  I  held  to 
my  paddle.  At  last  I  dragged  myself  on  to  my  stomach  on 
the  trunk,  and  lay  there  a  breathless  sop,  with  a  mingled  sense 
of  humor  and  injustice.  A  poor  figure  I  must  have  presented 
to  Burns  upon  the  hilltop  with  his  team.  But  there  was  the 
paddle  in  my  hand.  On  my  tomb,  if  ever  I  have  one,  I  mean 
to  get  these  words  inscribed  :  "  He  clung  to  his  paddle." 

—  STEVENSON.  .!//   Inland   Voyage.1 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE  261 


I  need  not  tell  you  what  it  is  to  be  knocking  about  in  an 
boat.  I  remember  nights  and  days  of  calm  when  we  pulled, 
we  pulled,  and  the  boat  seemed  to  stand  still,  as  if  bewitched 
within  the  circle  of  the  sea  horizon.  I  remember  the  heat,  the 
deluge  of  rain-squalls  that  kept  us  bailing  for  dear  life  (but 
tilled  our  water-cask),  and  I  remember  sixteen  hours  on  end 
with  a  mouth  dry  as  a  cinder  and  a^teering-oar  over  the  stern 
to  keep  my  first  command  head  on  to  a  breaking  sea.  I  did 
not  know  how  good  a  man  I  was  till  then.  I  remember  the 
drawn  faces,  the  dejected  figures  of  my  two  men,  and  I  remem- 
ber my  youth  and  the  feeling  that  will  never  come  back  any 
more  —  the  feeling  that  I  could  last  for  ever,  outlast  the  sea, 
the  earth,  and  all  men  ;  the  deceitful  feeling  that  lures  us  on 
to  joys,  to  perils,  to  love,  to  vain  effort  —  to  death;  the  tri- 
umphant conviction  of  strength,  the  heat  of  life  in  the  handful 
of  dust,  the  glow  in  the  heart  that  with  every  year  grows  dim, 
grows  cold,  grows  small,  and  expires  —  and  expires,  too  soon 
—  before  life  itself. 

And  this  is  how  I  see  the  East.  I  have  seen  its  secret  places 
and  have  looked  into  its  very  soul  ;  but  now  I  see  it  always 
from  a  small  boat,  a  high  outline  of  mountains,  blue  and  afar 
in  the  morning  ;  like  faint  mist  at  noon  ;  a  jagged  wall  of 
purple  at  sunset.  I  have  the  feel  of  the  oar  in  my  hand,  the 
vision  of  a  scorching  blue  sea  in  my  eyes.  And  I  see  a  bay,  a 
wide  bay,  smooth  as  glass  and  polished^ike  ice,  shimmering  in 
the  dark.  A  red  light  burns  far  off  upon  the  gloom  of  the  land, 
and  the  night  is  soft  and  warm.  We  drag  at  the  oars  with 
ndiing  arms,  and  suddenly  a  puff  of  wind,  a  puff  faint  and 
tepid  and  laden  with  strange  odors  of  blossoms,  of  aromatic 
wood,  comes  out  of  the  still  night  —  the  first  sigh  of  the  East 
on  my  face.  That  I  can  never  forget.  It  was  impalpable  and 
enslaving,  like  a  charm,  like  a  whispered  promise  of  mysterious 
delight. 

We  had  been  pulling  this  finishing  spell  for  eleven  hours. 
Two  pulled,  and  he  whose  turn  it  was  to  rest  sat  at  the  tiller. 


262  SPECIMENS  OF   DISCOURSE 

We  had  made  out  the  red  light  in  that  bay  and  steered  for  it 
guessing  it  must  mark  some  small  coasting  port.  We  passed 
two  vessels,  outlandish  and  high  sterned,  sleeping  at  anchor, 
and,  approaching  the  light,  now  very  dim,  ran  the  boat's  nose 
against  the  end  of  a  jutting  wharf.  We  were  blind  with 
fatigue.  My  men  dropped  the  oars  and  fell  off  the  thwarts  as 
if  dead.  I  made  fast  to  a  pile.  A  current  rippled  softly.  The 
scented  obscurity  of  the  shore  was  grouped  into  vast  masses, 
a  density  of  colossal  clumps  of  vegetation,  probably — mute 
and  fantastic  shapes.  And  at  their  foot  the  semicircle  of  a 
beach  gleamed  faintly,  like  an  illusion.  There  was  not  a  light, 
not  a  stir,  not  a  sound.  The  mysterious  East  faced  me,  per- 
fumed like  a  flower,  silent  like  death,  dark  like  a  grave. 

And  I  sat  weary  beyond  expression,  exulting  like  a  conqueror, 
sleepless  and  entranced  as  if  before  a  profound,  a  fateful  enigma. 

—  JOSEPH  CONRAD,   Youth.1 


In  this  by-place  of  nature,  there  abode,  in  a  remote  period  of 
American  history,  that  is  to  say,  some  thirty  years  since,  a 
worthy  wight  of  the  name  of  Ichabod  Crane;  who  sojourned, 
or,  as  he  expressed  it,  "tarried,"  in  Sleepy  Hollow,  for  the 
purpose  of  instructing  the  children  of  the  vicinity.  He  was 
a  native  of  Connecticut,  a  State  which  supplies  the  Union  with 
pioneers  for  the  mind  as  well  as  for  the  forest,  and  sends  forth 
yearly  its  legions  of  frontier  woodsmen  and  country  school- 
masters. The  cognomen  of  Crane  was  not  inapplicable  to  his 
person.  He  was  tall,  but  exceedingly  lank,  with  narrow 
shoulders,  long  arms  and  legs,  hands  that  dangled  a  mile  out 
of  his  sleeves,  feet  that  might  have  served  for  shovels,  and  his 
whole  frame  most  loosely  hung  together.  His  head  was  small, 
and  flat  at  top,  with  huge  ears,  large  green  glassy  eyes,  and  a 
long  snipe  nose,  so  that  it  looked  like  a  weathercock  perched 
upon  his  spindle  neck,  to  tell  which  way  the  wind  blew.  To 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  McClure,  Phillips  &  Co. 


SPECIMENS  OF   DISCOURSE  263 

see  him  striding  along  the  profile  of  a  hill  on  a  windy  day, 
with  his  clothes  bagging  and  fluttering  about  him,  one  might 
have  mistaken  him  for  the  genius  of  famine  descending  upon 
the  earth,  or  some  scarecrow  eloped  from  a  cornfield. 

His  school-house  was  a  low  building  of  one  large  room, 
rudely  constructed  of  logs;  the  windows  partly  glazed,  and 
partly  patched  with  leaves  of  old  copy-books.  It  was  most 
ingeniously  secured  at  vacant  hours  by  a  withe  twisted  in  the 
handle  of  the  door,  and  stakes  set  against  the  window-shutters ; 
so  that,  though  a  thief  might  get  in  with  perfect  ease,  he 
would  find  some  embarrassment  in  getting  out:  an  idea  most 
probably  borrowed  by  the  architect,  Yost  Van  H  on  ten,  from 
the  mystery  of  an  eel-pot.  The  schoolhouse  stood  in  a  rather 
lonely  but  pleasant  situation,  just  at  the  foot  of  a  woody  hill, 
with  a  brook  running  close  by,  and  a  formidable  birch  tree 
growing  at  one  end  of  it.  From  hence  the  low  murmur  of  his 
pupils'  voices,  conning  over  their  lessons,  might  be  heard  in 
a  drowsy  summer's  day,  like  the  hum  of  a  bee-hive  ;  inter- 
rupted now  and  then  by  the  authoritative  voice  of  the  master, 
in  the  tone  of  menace  or  command;  or,  peradventure,  by  the 
appalling  sound  of  the  birch,  as  he  urged  some  tardy  loiterer 
along  the  flowery  path  of  knowledge.  Truth  to  say,  he  was  a 
conscientious  man,  and  ever  bore  in  mind  the  golden  maxim, 
'*  Spare  the  rod  and  spoil  the  child."  Ichabod  Crane's  scholars 
certainly  were  not  spoiled. 

—  WASHINGTON  IRVING,  The  Legend  of  Sleepy  Hollow 


There  were  always  the  sky,  the  clouds,  the  clear  sunshine, 
the  crisp-etched  shadows;  and  in  the  afternoon  there  was 
always  the  wondrous  opalescent  haze  of  August,  filling  every 
distance.  There  was  always  his  garden  —  there  were  the  great 
trees,  with  the  light  sifting  through  high  spaces  of  feathery 
green ;  there  were  the  flowers,  the  birds,  the  bees,  the  butter- 
flies, with  their  colour,  and  their  fragrance,  and  their  music; 


264  SPECIMENS  OF  DISCOURSE 

there  was  his  tinkling  fountain,  in  its  nimbus  of  prismatic  spray ; 
there  was  the  swift  symbolic  Aco.  And  then,  at  a  half-hour's 
walk,  there  was  the  pretty  pink-stuccoed  village,  with  its  hill- 
top church,  its  odd  little  shrines,  its  grim-grotesque  ossuary,  its 
faded  frescoed  house-fronts,  its  busy,  vociferous,  out-of-door 
Italian  life :  —  the  cobbler  tapping  in  his  stall ;  women  gossip- 
ing at  their  toilets ;  children  sprawling  in  the  dirt,  chasing 
each  other,  shouting ;  men  drinking,  playing  mora,  quarreling, 
laughing,  singing,  twanging  mandolines,  at  the  tables  under  the 
withered  bush  of  the  wine-shop ;  and  two  or  three  more  pensive 
citizens  swinging  their  legs  from  the  parapet  of  the  bridge,  and 
angling  for  fish  that  never  bit,  in  the  impetuous  stream  below. 
—  HENRY  HARLAND,  The  CardinaVs  Snu/-Box.1 


The  priest  sat  in  an  arm-chair  —  one  of  those  stiff,  upright 
Roman  arm-chairs,  which  no  one  would  ever  dream  of  calling 
easy  chairs,  high-backed,  covered  with  hard  leather,  studded 
with  steel  nails  —  and  watched  her,  smiling  amusement,  indul- 
gence. 

He  was  an  oldish  priest  —  sixty,  sixty-five.  He  was  small, 
lightly  built,  lean-faced,  with  delicate-strong  features ;  a  promi- 
nent, delicate  nose ;  a  well-marked,  delicate  jaw-bone,  ending 
in  a  prominent,  delicate  chin ;  a  large,  humorous  mouth,  the  full 
lips  delicately  chiseled ;  a  high,  delicate,  perhaps  rather  nar- 
row brow,  rising  above  humorous  gray  eyes,  rather  deep-set. 
Then  he  had  silky-soft  smooth  white  hair,  and,  topping  the 
occiput,  a  tonsure  that  might  have  passed  for  a  natural  bald 
spot. 

He  was  decidedly  clever-looking;  he  was  aristocratic-look- 
ing, distinguished-looking;  but  he  was,  above  all,  pleasant- 
looking,  kindly-looking,  sweet-looking. 

He  wore  a  plain  black  cassock,  by  no  means  in  its  first 
youth  —  brown  along  the  seams,  and,  at  the  salient  angles,  at 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  John  Lane  Co. 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE  265 

the  shoulders,  at  the  elbows,  shining  with  the  luster  of  hard 
service.  Even  without  his  cassock,  I  imagine,  you  would  have 
divined  him  for  a  clergyman  —  he  bore  the  clerical  impress, 
that  odd  indefinable  air  of  clericism  which  every  one  recognises, 
though  it  might  not  be  altogether  easy  to  tell  just  where  or 
from  what  it  takes  its  origin.  In  the  garb  of  an  Anglican  — 
there  being  nothing,  at  first  blush,  necessarily  Italian,  neces- 
sarily un-English,  in  his  face  —  he  would  have  struck  you,  I 
think,  as  a  pleasant,  shrewd  old  parson  of  the  scholarly- 
earnest  type,  mildly  donnish,  with  a  fondness  for  gentle  mirth. 
What,  however,  you  would  scarcely  have  divined  —  unless  you 
had  chanced  to  notice,  inconspicuous  in  this  sober  light,  the  red 
sash  round  his  waist,  or  the  amethyst  on  the  third  finger  of  his 
right  hand — was  his  rank  in  the  Roman  hierarchy. 

—  HENRY  HARLAND,  The  Cardinal"1  s  Snuff-Sox.1 


It  is  very  possible  that  at  some  earlier  period  of  his 
Mr.  Weller's  profile  might  have  presented  a  bold,  and*  deter- 
mined outline.  His  face,  however,  had  expanded  under  the 
influence  of  good  living  and  a  disposition  remarkable  for 
resignation  ;  and  its  bold  fleshy  curves  had  so  far  extended 
beyond  the  limits  originally  assigned  them,  that  unless  you 
took  a  full  view  of  his  countenance  in  front,  it  was  difficult  to 
distinguish  more  than  the  extreme  tip  of  a  very  rubicund  nose. 
His  chin,  from  the  same  cause,  had  acquired  the  grave  and 
imposing  form  which  is  generally  described  by  prefixing  the 
word  "  double  "  to  that  expressive  feature  ;  and  his  complexion 
exhibited  that  peculiarly  mottled  combination  of  colors  which 
is  only  to  be  seen  in  gentlemen  of  his  profession,  and  in  under- 
done roast  beef.  Round  his  neck  he  wore  a  crimson  traveling 
shawl,  which  merged  into  his  chin  by  such  imperceptible  gra- 
dations, that  it  was  difficult  to  distinguish  the  folds  of  the  one 
from  the  folds  of  the  other.  Over  this,  he  mounted  a  long 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  John  Lane  Co. 


266  SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

waistcoat  of  a  broad  pink-striped  pattern,  and  over  that  again, 
a  wide-skirted  green  coat,  ornamented  with  large  brass  but- 
tons, whereof  the  two  which  garnished  the  waist  were  so  far 
apart,  that  no  man  had  ever  beheld  them  both  at  the  same 
time.  His  hair,  which  was  short,  sleek,  and  black,  was  just 
visible  beneath  the  capacious  brim  of  a  low-crowned  brown 
hat.  His  legs  were  encased  in  knee-cord  breeches,  and  painted 
top-boots;  and  a  copper  watch-chain,  terminating  in  one  seal, 
and  a  key  of  the  same  material,  dangled  loosely  from  his 

capacious  waistband. 

—  CHARLES  DICKENS,  Pickwick  Papers. 

He  was  about  the  middle  height,  but  the  thinness  of  his 
body  and  the  length  of  his  legs  gave  him  the  appearance  of 
being  much  taller.  The  green  coat  had  been  a  smart  dress 
garment  in  the  days  of  swallow-tails,  but  had  evidently  in 
those  times  adorned  a  much  shorter  man  than  the  stranger, 
for  the  soiled  and  faded  sleeves  scarcely  reached  to  his 
wrists.  It  was  buttoned  closely  up  to  his  chin,  at  the  immi- 
nent hazard  of  splitting  the  back ;  and  an  old  stock,  without  a 
vestige  of  shirt  collar,  ornamented  his  neck.  His  scanty  black 
trousers  displayed  here  and  there  those  shiny  patches  which 
bespeak  long  service,  and  were  strapped  very  tightly  over  a 
pair  of  patched  and  mended  shoes,  as  if  to  conceal  the  dirty 
white  stockings,  which  were  nevertheless  distinctly  visible. 
His  long  black  hair  escaped  in  negligent  waves  from  beneath 
each  side  of  his  old  pinched-up  hat ;  and  glimpses  of  his  bare 
wrist  might  be  observed,  between  the  tops  of  his  gloves  and 
the  cuffs  of  his  coat  sleeves.  His  face  was  thin  and  haggard ; 
but  an  indescribable  air  of  jaunty  impudence  and  perfect  self- 
possession  pervaded  the  whole  man. 

—  CHARLES  DICKENS,  Pickwick  Papers. 

It  was  already  hard  upon  October  before  I  was  ready  to  set 
forth,  and  at  the  high  altitudes  over  which  my  road  lay  there 


SPECIMENS  OF   DISCOURSE  267 

was  no  Indian  summer  to  be  looked  for.  I  was  determined,  if 
not  to  camp  out,  at  least  to  have  the  means  of  camping  out  in 
my  possession ;  for  there  is  nothing  more  harassing  to  an  easy 
mind  than  the  necessity  of  reaching  shelter  by  dusk,  and  the 
hospitality  of  a  village  inn  is  not  always  to  be  reckoned  sure 
by  those  who  trudge  on  foot.  A  tent,  above  all  for  a  solitary 
traveler,  is  troublesome  to  pitch,  and  troublesome  to  strike 
again;  and  even  on  the  march  it  forms  a  conspicuous  feature 
in  your  baggage.  A  sleeping-sack,  on  the  other  hand,  is  always 
ready — you  have  only  to  get  into  it;  it  serves  a  double  pur- 
pose— a  bed  by  night,  a  portmanteau  by  day ;  and  it  does  not 
advertise  your  intention  of  camping  out  to  every  curious 
passer-by.  This  is  a  huge  point.  If  the  camp  is  not  secret,  it 
is  but  a  troubled  resting-place ;  you  become  a  public  character ; 
the  convivial  rustic  visits  your  bedside  after  an  early  supper ; 
and  you  must  sleep  with  one  eye  open,  and  be  up  before  the 
day.  I  decided  on  a  sleeping-sack ;  and  after  repeated  visits  to 
Le  Puy,  and  a  deal  of  high  living  for  myself  and  my  advisers, 
a  sleeping-sack  was  designed,  constructed,  and  triumphally 
brought  home. 

This  child  of  my  invention  was  nearly  six  feet  square,  exclu- 
sive of  two  triangular  flaps  to  serve  as  a  pillow  by  night,  and"  as 
the  top  and  bottom  of  the  sack  by  day.  I  call  it  '  the  sack/ 
but  it  was  never  a  sack  by  more  than  courtesy ;  only  a  sort  of 
long  roll  or  sausage,  green  water-proof  cart-cloth  without  and 
blue  sheep's  fur  within.  It  was  commodious  as  a  valise,  warm 
and  dry  for  a  bed.  There  was  luxurious  turning  room  for  one  ; 
and  at  a  pinch  the  thing  might  serve  for  two.  I  could  bury 
myself  in  it  up  to  the  neck ;  for  my  head  I  trusted  to  a  fur 
cap,  with  a  hood  to  fold  down  over  my  ears,  and  a  band  to  pass 
under  my  nose  like  a  respirator;  and  in  case  of  heavy  rain  I 
proposed  to  make  myself  a  little  tent,  or  tentlet,  with  my 
water-proof  coat,  three  stones,  and  a  bent  branch. 

—  STEVENSON,  Travels  with  a  Donkey.1 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 


268  SPECIMENS  OF   DISCOURSE 

The  beginning  of  all  evil  temptations  is  inconstancy  of  mind, 
and  small  confidence  in  God. 

For  as  a  ship  without  a  helm  is  tossed  to  and  fro  by  the 
waves ;  so  the  man  who  is  careless  and  forsaketh  his  purpose, 
is  many  ways  tempted. 

Fire  tryeth  iron,  and  temptation  a  just  man. 

We  know  not  oftentimes  what  we  are  able  to  do,  but  tempta- 
tion shows  us  what  we  are. 

Yet  we  must  be  watchful,  especially  in  the  beginning  of  the 
temptation ;  for  the  enemy  is  then  more  easily  overcome,  if  lie 
be  not  suffered  to  enter  the  door  of  our  hearts,  but  be  resisted 
at  the  very  gate,  on  his  first  knocking. 

Wherefore  one  said,  "  Withstand  the  beginnings :  the  remedy 
is  applied  too  late,  when  the  evil  has  grown  strong  through 
long  delay." 

For  first  there  cometh  to  the  mind  a  bare  thought  of  evil, 
then  a  strong  imagination  thereof,  afterwards  delight,  and  evil 
motion,  and  then  consent. 

And  so  by  little  and  little  our  wicked  enemy  getteth  com- 
plete entrance,  for  that  he  is  not  resisted  in  the  beginning. 

And  the  longer  a  man  is  negligent  in  resisting,  the  weaker 
does  he  become  daily  in  himself,  and  the  stronger  the  enemy 
against  him. 

— THOMAS  X  KEMPIS,  The  Imitation  of  Christ. 


Hence  it  is  that  it  is  almost  a  definition  of  a  gentleman  to 
say  he  is  one  who  never  inflicts  pain.  This  description  is  both 
refined  and,  as  far  as  it  goes,  accurate.  He  is  mainly  occupied 
in  merely  removing  the  obstacles  which  hinder  the  free  and 
unembarrassed  action  of  those  about  him  ;  and  he  concurs  witli 
their  movements  rather  than  takes  the  initiative  himself.  His 
benefits  may  be  considered  as  parallel  to  what  are  called  com- 
forts or  conveniences  in  arrangements  of  a  personal  nature : 
like  an  easy  chair  or  a  good  fire,  which  do  their  part  in  dispel- 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE  269 

ling  cold  and  fatigue,  though  nature  provides  both  means  of  rest 
and  animal  heat  without  them.  The  true  gentleman  in  like 
manner  carefully  avoids  whatever  may  cause  a  jar  or  a  jolt  in 
the  minds  of  those  with  whom  he  is  cast ;  —  all  clashing  of 
opinion,  or  collision  of  feeling,  all  restraint,  or  suspicion,  or 
gloom,  or  resentment ;  his  great  concern  being  to  make  every 
one  at  their  ease  and  at  home.  He  has  his  eyes  on  all  his  com- 
pany; he  is  tender  towards  the  bashful,  gentle  towards  the 
distant,  and  merciful  towards  the  absurd ;  he  can  recollect  to 
whom  he  is  speaking,  he  guards  against  unseasonable  allusions, 
or  topics  which  may  irritate ;  he  is  seldom  prominent  in  con- 
versation, and  never  wearisome.  He  makes  light  of  favors 
while  he  does  them,  and  seems  to  be  receiving  when  he  is  con- 
ferring. He  never  speaks  of  himself  except  when  compelled, 
never  defends  himself  by  a  mere  retort,  he  has*  no  ears  for 
slander  or  gossip,  is  scrupulous  in  imputing  motives  to  those 
who  interfere  with-  him,  and  interprets  everything  for  the  best. 
He  is  never  mean  or  little  in  his  disputes,  never  takes  unfair 
advantage,  never  mistakes  personalities  or  sharp  sayings  for 
arguments,  or  insinuates  evil  which  he  dare  not  say  out.  From 
a  long-sighted  prudence,  he  observes  the  maxim  of  the  ancient 
sage,  that  we  should  ever  conduct  ourselves  towards  our  enemy 
as  if  he  were  one  day  to  be  our  friend.  He  has  too  much  good 
sense  to  be  affronted  at  insults,  he  is  too  well  employed  to 
remember  injuries,  and  too  indolent  to  bear  malice.  He  is 
patient,  forbearing,  and  resigned,  on  philosophical  principles ; 
he  submits  to  pain,  because  it  is  inevitable,  to  bereavement, 
because  it  is  irreparable,  and  to  death,  because  it  is  his  destiny. 
If  he  engages  in  controversy  of  any  kind,  his  disciplined  intel- 
lect preserves  him  from  the  blundering  discourtesy  of  better, 
perhaps,  but  less  educated  minds  ;  who,  like  blunt  weapons, 
tear  and  hack  instead  of  cutting  clean,  who  mistake  the  point 
in  argument,  waste  their  strength  on  trifles,  misconceive  their 
adversary,  and  leave  the  question  more  involved  than  they  find 
it.  He  may  be  right  or  wrong  in  his  opinion,  but  he  is  too 


270  SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

clear-headed  to  be  unjust;  he  is  as  simple  as  he  is  forcible,  and 
as  brief  as  he  is  decisive.  Nowhere  shall  we  find  greater  candor, 
consideration,  indulgence  :  he  throws  himself  into  the  minds  of 
his  opponents,  he  accounts  for  their  mistakes.  He  knows  the 
weakness  of  human  reason  as  well  as  its  strength,  its  province, 
and  its  limits.  If  he  be  an  unbeliever,  he  will  be  too  profound 
and  large-minded  to  ridicule  religion  or  to  act  against  it ;  he  is 
too  wise  to  be  a  dogmatist  or  fanatic  in  his  infidelity.  He 
respects  piety  and  devotion ;  he  even  supports  institutions  as 
venerable,  beautiful,  or  useful,  to  which  he  does  not  assent; 
he  honors  the  ministers  of  religion,  and  it  contents  him  to 
decline  its  mysteries  without  assailing  or  denouncing  them. 
He  is  a  friend  of  religious  toleration,  and  that,  not  only 
because  his  philosophy  has  taught  him  to  look  on  all  forms  of 
faith  with  an  impartial  eye,  but  also  from  the  gentleness  and 
effeminacy  of  feeling,  which  is  the  attendant  on  civilization. 
—  CARDINAL  NEWMAN,  The  Idea  of  a  Unic<  rtidj.1 


How,  then,  is  mud  formed  ?  Always,  with  some  trifling  ex- 
ceptions, which  I'neediiot  consider  now — always,  as  the  result 
of  the  action  of  water,  wearing  down  and  disintegrating  the 
surface  of  the  earth  and  rocks  with  which  it  comes  in  contact— 
pounding  and  grinding  it  down,  and  carrying  the  particles 
away  to  places  where  they  cease  to  be  disturbed  by  this  me- 
chanical action,  and  where  they  can  subside  and  rest.  For  the 
ocean,  urged  by  winds,  washes,  as  we  know,  a  long  extent  of 
coast,  and  every  wave,  loaded  as  it  is  with  particles  of  sand  and 
gravel  as  it  breaks  upon  the  shore,  does  something  towards  the 
disintegrating  process.  And  thus,  slowly  but  surely,  the  hard- 
est rocks  are  gradually  ground  down  to  a  powdery  substance; 
and  the  mud  thus  formed,  coarser  or  finer,  as  the  case  may  be, - 
is  carried  by  the  rush  of  the  tides,  or  currents,  till  it  reaches 
the  comparatively  deeper  parts  of  the  ocean,  in  which  it  ran 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  Longmans,  Green  &  Co. 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE  271 

sink  to  the  bottom,  that  is,  to  parts  where  there  is  a  depth  of 
about  fourteen  or  fifteen  fathoms,  a  depth  at  which  the  water 
is,  usually,  nearly  motionless,  and  in  which,  of  course,  the  finer 
particles  of  this  detritus,  or  mud  as  we  call  it,  sinks  to  the 
bottom. 

Or,  again,  if  you  take  a  river,  rushing  down  from  its  moun- 
tain sources,  brawling  over  the  stones  and  rocks  that  intersect 
its  path,  loosening,  removing,  and  carrying  with  it  in  its  down- 
ward course  the  pebbles  and  lighter  matters  from  its  banks,  it 
crushes  and  pounds  down  the  rocks  and  earths  in  precisely  the 
same  way  as  the  wearing  action  of  the  sea  waves.  The  mat- 
ters forming  the  deposit  are  torn  from  the  mountain-side  and 
whirled  impetuously  into  the  valley,  more  slowly  over  the 
plain,  thence  into  the  estuary,  and  from  the  estuary  they  are 
swept  into  the  sea.  The  coarser  and  heavier  fragments  are 
obviously  deposited  first,  that  is,  as  soon  as  the  current  begins 
to  lose  its  force  by  becoming  amalgamated  with  the  stiller 
di-pths  of  the  ocean,  but  the  finer  and  lighter  particles  are  car- 
ried further  on,  and  eventually  deposited  in  a  deeper  and 
stiller  portion  of  the  ocean. 

It  clearly  follows  from  this  that  mud  gives  us  a- chronology ; 
for  it  is  evident  that  supposing  this,  which  I  now  sketch,  to  be 
the  sea  bottom,  and  supposing  this  to  be  a  coast-line;  from  the 
washing  action  of  the  sea  upon  the  rock,  wearing  and  grinding 
it  down  into  a  sediment  of  mud,  the  mud  will  be  carried  down, 
and,  at  length,  deposited  in  the  deeper  parts  of  this  sea  bot- 
tom, where  it  will  form  a  layer  ;  and  then,  while  that  first 
layer  is  hardening,  other  mud  which  is  coming  from  the  same 
source  will,  of  course,  be  carried  to  the  same  place ;  and,  as  it 
is  quite  impossible  for  it  to  get  beneath  the  layer  already  there, 
it  deposits  itself  above  it,  and  forms  another  layer,  and  in  that 
way  you  gradually  have  layers  of  mud  constantly  forming  and 
hardening  one  above  the  other,  and  conveying  a  record  of 
time. 

It  is  a  necessary  result  of  the  operation  of  the  law  of  gravi- 


272  SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

tation  that  the  uppermost  layer  shall  be  the  youngest  and  the 
lowest  the  oldest,  and  that  the  different  beds  shall  be  older  at 
any  particular  point  or  spot  in  exactly  the  ratio  of  their  depth 
from  the  surface.  So  that  if  they  were  upheaved  after  wauls, 
and  you  had  a  series  of  these  different  layers  of  mud  converted 
into  sandstone,  or  limestone,  as  the  case  might  be,  you  might 
be  sure  that  the  bottom  layer  was  deposited  first,  and  that  the 
upper  layers  were  formed  afterwards.  Here,  you  see,  is  the 
first  step  in  the  history  —  these  layers  of  mud  give  us  an  idea 
of  time. 

The  whole  surface  of  the  earth,  —  I  speak  broadly,  and  leave 
out  minor  qualifications,  —  is  made  up  of  such  layers  of  mud, 
so  hard,  the  majority  of  them,  that  we  call  them  rock  whether 
limestone  or  sandstone,  or  other  varieties  of  rock.  And,  seeing 
that  every  part  of  the  crust  of  the  earth  is  made  up  in  this  way. 
you  might  think  that  the  determination  of  the  chronology,  the 
fixing  of  the  time  which  it  has  taken  to  form  this  crust  is  a 
comparatively  simple  matter.  Take  a  broad  average,  ascertain 
how  fast  the  mud  is  deposited  upon  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  or 
in  the  estuary  of  rivers;  take  it  to  be  an  inch,  or  two,  or  three 
inches  a  year,  or  whatever  you  may  roughly  estimate  it  at; 
then  take  the  total  thickness  of  the  whole  series  of  stratified 
rocks,  which  geologists  estimate  at  twelve  or  thirteen  miles,  or 
about  seventy  thousand  feet,  make  a  sum  in  short  division, 
divide  the  total  thickness  by  that  of  the  quantity  deposited  in 
one  year,  and  the  result  will,  of  course,  give  you  the  number  of 
years  which  the  crust  has  taken  to  form. 

Truly,  that  looks  a  very  simple  process  !  It  would  be  except 
for  certain  difficulties,  the  very  first  of  which  is  that  of  finding 
how  rapidly  sediments  are  deposited ;  but  the  main  difficulty  - 
a  difficulty  which  renders  any  certain  calculations  of  such  a 
matter  out  of  the  question  —  is  this,  the  sea  bottom  on  which 
the  deposit  takes  place  is  continually  shifting. 

Instead  of  the  surface  of  the  earth  being  that  stable,  fixed 
thing  that  it  is  popularly  believed  to  be,  being  in  common  par- 


SPECIMENS  OF   DISCOURSE  273 

lance,  the  very  emblem  of  fixity  itself,  it  is  incessantly  moving 
and  i  s,  in  fact,  as  unstable  as  the  surface  of  the  sea,  except  that 
its  undulations  are  infinitely  slower  and  enormously  higher  and 

deeper. 

—  T.  H.  HUXLEY, 


And  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Thou*  art  permitted  to  speak 
for  thyself.  Then  Paul  stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  made 
his  defence : 

I  think  myself  happy,  king  Agrippa,  that  I  am  to  make  my 
defence  before  thee  this  day  touching  all  the  things  whereof  I 
am  accused  by  the  Jews :  especially  because  thon  art  expert  in 
all  customs  and  questions  which  are  among  the  Jews:  whereof 
I  beseech  thee  to  hear  me  patiently.  My  manner  of  life  then 
from  my  youth  up,  which  was  from  the  beginning  among  mine 
own  nation,  and  at  Jerusalem,  know  all  the  Jews  ;  having  knowl- 
edge of  me  from  the  first,  if  they  be  willing  to  testify,  how  that 
after  the  straitest  sect  of  our  religion  I  lived  a  Pharisee.  And 
now  I  stand  here  to  be  judged  for  the  hope  of  the  promise  made 
of  God  unto  our  fathers;  unto  which  promise  our  twelve  tribes, 
earnestly  serving  God  night  and  day,  hope  to  attain.  And 
concerning  this  hope  I  am  accused  by  the  Jews,  O  king!  Why 
is  it  judged  incredible  with  you,  if  God  doth  raise  the  dead  ?  I 
verily  thought  with  myself,  that  I  ought  to  do  many  things 
contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  And  this  I  also 
did  in  Jerusalem :  and  I  both  shut  up  many  of  the  saints  in 
prison,  having  received  authority  from  the  chief  priests,  and 
when  they  were  put  to  death,  I  gave  my  vote  against  them. 
And  punishing  them  oftentimes  in  all  the  synagogues,  I  strove 
to  make  them  blaspheme;  and  being  exceedingly  mad  against 
them,  I  persecuted  them  even  unto  foreign  cities.  Whereupon  as 
I  journeyed  to  Damascus  with  the  authority  and  commission 
of  the  chief  priests,  at  midday,  0  king,  I  saw  on  the  way  a  light 

1  Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  D.  Appleton  &  Co. 
s.  &  H.  UHET.  — 18 


274  SPECIMENS  OF   DISCOURSE 

from  heaven,  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  shining  round 
about  me  and  them  that  journeyed  with  me.  And  when  we  wen- 
all  fallen  to  the  earth,  I  heard  a  voice  saying  unto  nie  in  the  He- 
brew language,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?  it  is  hard 
for  thee  to  kick  against  the  goad.  And  I  said,  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ? 
And  the  Lord  said,  I  am  Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest.  But 
arise,  and  stand  upon  thy  feet :  for  to  this  end  have  I  appeared 
unto  thee,  to  appoint  thee  a  minister  and  a  witness  both  of  the 
things  wherein  thou  hast  seen  me,  and  of  the  things  wherein 
I  will  appear  unto  thee ;  delivering  thee  from  the  people,  and 
from  the  Gentiles,  unto  whom  I  send  thee,  to  open  their  eyes 
that  they  may  turn  from  darkness  to  light, .  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  remission  of 
sins  and  an  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith 
in  me.  Wherefore,  O  king  Agrippa,  I  was  not  disobedient  unto 
the  heavenly  vision :  but  declared  both  to  them  of  Damascus 
first,  and  at  Jerusalem,  and  throughout  all  the  country  of  Judea, 
and  also  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they  should  repent  and  turn  to 
God,  doing  works  worthy  of  repentance.  For  this  cause  the 
Jews  seized  me  in  the  temple,  and  assayed  to  kill  me.  Hav- 
ing therefore  obtained  the  help  that  is  from  God,  I  stand  unto 
this  day  testifying  both  to  small  and  great,  saying  nothing  but 
what  the  prophets  and  Moses  did  say  should  come ;  how  that 
the  Christ  must  suffer,  and  how  that  he  first  by  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  should  proclaim  light  both  to  the  people  and 

to  the  Gentiles. 

—  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles^  Chap.  xxvi. 


The  Filipinos  have  from  the  beginning  desired  independence, 
and  desire  it  now. 

This  desire  was  communicated  to  our  commanders  when  they 
gave  them  arms,  accepted  their  aid,  and  brought  Aguinaldo 
from  his  exile  when  he  was  put  in  command  of  thirty  thousand 
Filipino  soldiers,  who  were  already  in  arms  and  organized. 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE  275 

The  people  of  the  Philippine  Islands,  before  we  fired  upon 
their  troops,  had  delivered  their  own  land  from  Spain,  with 
the  single  exception  of  the  town  of  Manila,  and  they  hemmed 
in  the  Spanish  troops  on  land  by  a  line  extending  from  water 
to  water. 

We  could  not  have  captured  the  Spanish  garrison,  which  was 
done  by  an  arrangement  beforehand,  upon  a  mere  show  of  re- 
sistance, but  for  the  fact  that  they  were  so  hemmed  in  by 
Aguinaldo's  forces  and  could  not  retreat  beyond  the  range  and 
fire  of  the  guns  of  our  fleet. 

During  all  this  period  from  the  beginning  to  the  final  con- 
flict, the  Filipinos  were  repeatedly  informing  our  government 
that  they  desired  their  freedom,  and  they  were  never  informed 
of  any  purpose  on  our  part  to  subdue  them. 

They  were  fit  for  independence.  They  had  churches,  libra- 
ries, works  of  art,  and  education.  They  were  better  educated 
than  many  American  communities  within  the  memory  of  some 
of  us.  They  were  eager  and  ambitious  to  learn.  They  were 
governing  their  entire  island,  except  Manila,  in  order  and 
quiet,  with  municipal  governments,  courts  of  justices,  schools, 
and  a  complete  constitution  resting  upon  the  consent  of  the 
people.  They  were  better  fitted  for  self-government  than  any 
country  on  the  American  continent  south  of  us,  from  the  Bio 
Grande  to  Cape  Horn ;  or  than  San  Domingo  or  Hayti  when 
these  countries,  respectively,  achieved  their  independence ;  and 
are  fitter  for  self-government  than  some  of  them  are  now. 
They  are  now  as  fit  for  self-government  as  was  Japan  when 
she  was  welcomed  into  the  family  of  nations. 

The  outbreak  of  hostilities  was  not  their  fault,  but  ours.  A 
patrol,  not  a  hostile  military  force,  approached  a  small  village 
between  the  lines  of  the  two  armies ;  a  village  on  the  American 
side  of  the  line  of  demarcation,  to  which  some  of  our  soldiers 
had  been  moved  in  disregard  of  the  rule  applicable  to  all  cases 
of  truce.  When  this  patrol  approached  this  town  it  was  chal- 
lenged. How  far  the  Filipinos  understood  our  language,  or 


276  SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

how  far  our  pickets  understood  the  reply  that  they  made  in 
their  own  language,  does  not  appear.  But  we  fired  upon  them 
first.  The  fire  was  returned  from  their  lines.  Thereupon  it 
was  returned  again  from  us,  and  several  Filipinos  were  killed. 
As  soon  as  Aguinaldo  heard  of  it  he  sent  a  message  to  General 
Otis,  saying  that  the  firing  was  without  his  knowledge  and 
against  his  will ;  that  he  deplored  it,  and  that  he  desired  hos- 
tilities to  cease  and  would  withdraw  his  troops  to  any  distance 
General  Otis  should  desire.  To  which  the  American  general 
replied  that,  as  the  fighting  had  begun,  it  must  go  on. 

1  do  not  know  what  other  men  may  think,  or  what  other  men 
may  say.  But  there  is  not  a  drop  of  blood  in  my  veins,  there 
is  not  a  feeling  in  my  heart,  that  does  not  respect  a  weak  people 
struggling  with  a  strong  one. 

When  Patrick  Henry  was  making  his  great  speech  in  the 
state-house  at  Williamsburg,  for  the  same  cause  for  which  the 
Filipinos  are  now  dying,  he  was  interrupted  by  somebody  with 
a  shout  of  "treason."  He  finished  his  sentence,  and  replied, 
as  every  schoolboy  knows ,  "  If  this  be  treason,  make  the  most 
of  it."  I  am  unworthy  to  loose  the  latchet  of  the  shoes  of 
Patrick  Henry.  But  I  claim  to  love  human  liberty  as  well  as 
he  did,  and  I  believe  the  love  of  human  liberty  will  never  be 
held  to  be  treason  by  Massachusetts. 

I  am  a  son  of  Massachusetts.  For  more  than  three-score 
years  and  ten  I  have  sat  at  her  dear  feet.  I  have  seen  the 
light  from  her  beautiful  eyes.  I  have  heard  high  counsel  from 
her  lips.  She  has  taught  me  to  love  liberty,  to  stand  by 
the  weak  against  the  strong,  when  the  rights  of  the  weak 
are  in  peril;  she  has  led  me  to  believe  that  if  I  do  this, 
however  humbly,  however  imperfectly,  and  whatever  other 
men  may  say,  I  shall  have  her  approbation,  and  shall  be 
deemed  not  unworthy  of  her  love.  Other  men  will  do  as 
they  please.  But  as  for  me,  God  helping  me,  I  can  do  no 
otherwise. 

—  GEORGE  F.  HOAR,  Boston  Herald. 


SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE  277 

The  Philippines  are  ours  forever,  "  territory  belonging  to  the 
United  States,"  as  the  Constitution  calls  them.  And  just 
beyond  the  Philippines  are  China's  illimitable  markets.  We 
will  not  retreat  from  either.  We  will  not  repudiate  our 
duty  in  the  archipelago.  We  will  not  abandon  our  opportu- 
nity in  the  Orient.  We  will  not  renounce  our  part  in  the 
mission  of  our  race,  trustee,  under  God,  of  the  civilization  of 
the  world.  This  island  empire  is  the  last  land  left  in  all 
the  oceans.  If  it  should  prove  a  mistake  to  abandon  it,  the 
blunder  once  made  would  be  irretrievable.  If  it  proves  a  mis- 
take to  hold  it,  the  error  can  be  corrected  when  we  will ;  every 
other  progressive  nation  stands  ready  to  relieve  us. 

But  to  hold  it  will  be  no  mistake.  Our  largest  trade  hence- 
forth must  be  with  Asia.  The  Pacific  is  our  ocean.  China  is 
our  natural  customer.  The  Philippines  give  us  a  base  at  the 
door  of  all  the  East.  The  power  that  rules  the  Pacific,  there- 
fore, is  the  power  that  rules  the  world.  And,  with  the  Philip- 
pines, that  power  is  and  will  forever  be  the  American  republic. 

It  will  be  hard  for  Americans  who  have  not  studied  them 
to  understand  the  people.  They  are  a  barbarous  race,  modified 
by  three  centuries  of  contact  with  a  decadent  race.  The  Fili- 
pino is  the  South  Sea  Malay,  put  through  a  process  of  three  hun- 
dred years  of  superstition  in  religion,  dishonesty  in  dealing, 
disorder  in  habits  of  industry  and  cruelty,  caprice  and  corrup- 
tion in  government.  It  is  barely  possible  that  one  thousand 
men  in  all  the  archipelago  are  capable  of  self-government  in  the 
Anglo-Saxon  sense.  My  own  belief  is  that  there  are  not  one 
hundred  men  among  them  who  comprehend  what  Anglo-Saxon 
self-government  even  means ;  and  there  are  over  five  million 
people  to  be  governed. 

A  lasting  peace  can  be  secured  only  by  overwhelming  forces 
in  ceaseless  action  until  universal  and  absolute  final  defeat  is 
inflicted  on  the  enemy.  To  halt  before  every  armed  force, 
every  guerrilla  band  opposing  us,  is  dispersed  or  exterminated 
will  prolong  hostilities  and  leave  alive  the  seeds  of  perpetual 


278  SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

insurrection.     Even  then  we  should  not  treat.     To  treat  at  all 
is  to  admit  that  we  are  wrong. 

Our  mistake  has  not  been  cruelty;  it  has  been  kindness.  It 
has  been  the  application  to  Spanish  Malays  of  methods  appro- 
priate to  New  England.  Every  device  of  mercy,  every  met  1  KM! 
of  conciliation  has  been  employed  by  the  peace-loving  President 
of  the  American  republic  to  the  amazement  of  nations  expe- 
rienced in  Oriental  revolt.  We  smiled  at  intolerable  insult  and 
insolence  until  the  lips  of  every  native  in  Manila  were  curling 
in  ridicule  for  the  cowardly  Americans.  We  refrained  from  all 
violence  until  their  armed  bravos  crossed  the  lines  in  violation 
of  agreement.  Then  our  sentry  shot  the  offender,  and  he 
should  have  been  court-martialed  had  he  failed  to  shoot.  That 
shot  was  the  most  fortunate  of  the  war.  For  Aguinaldo  had 
planned  the  attack  upon  us  for  two  nights  later ;  our  sentry's 
shot  brought  this  attack  prematurely  on.  He  had  arranged  for 
an  uprising  in  Manila  to  massacre  all  Americans,  the  plans  for 
which,  in  Sandico's  handwriting,  are  in  our  possession;  this 
shot  made  that  awful  scheme  impossible.  We  did  not  strike  till 
they  attacked  us  in  force,  without  provocation;  this  left  us  no 
alternative  but  war  or  evacuation. 

But,  senators,  it  would  be  better  to  abandon  this  combined 
garden  and  Gibraltar  of  the  Pacific,  and  count  our  blood  and 
treasure  already  spent  a  profitable  loss,  than  to  apply  any  aca- 
demic arrangement  of  self-government  to  these  children.  They 
are  not  capable  of  self-government.  How  could  they  be? 
.  .  .  They  are  Orientals,  Malays,  instructed  by  Spaniards  in 
the  latter's  worst  estate.  They  know  nothing  of  practical  gov- 
ernment except  as  they  have  witnessed  the  weak,  corrupt,  cruel, 
and  capricious  rule  of  Spain.  The  great  majority  simply  do  not 
understand  any  participation  in  any  government  whatever. 

Example  for  decades  will  be  necessary  to  instruct  them  in 
American  ideas  and  methods  of  administration.  Example, 
example;  always  example;  this  alone  will  teach  them. 

—  ALBERT  BEVERIDGE,  Speech  in  U.S.  Senate. 


SPECIMENS  OF   DISCOURSE  279 

The  advocates  of  Charles,  like  the  advocates  of  other  male- 
factors against  whom  overwhelming  evidence  is  produced, 
generally  decline  all  controversy  about  the  facts,  and  content 
themselves  with  calling  testimony  to  character.  He  had  so 
many  private  virtues  !  And  had  James  the  Second  no  private 
virtues  ?  Was  Oliver  Cromwell,  his  bitterest  enemies  them- 
selves being  judges,  destitute  of  private  virtues  ?  And  what, 
after  all,  are  the  virtues  ascribed  to  Charles  ?  A  religious  zeal, 
not  more  sincere  than  that  of  his  son,  and  fully  as  weak  and 
narrow-minded,  and  a  few  of  the  ordinary  household  decencies 
which  half  the  tombstones  in  England  claim  for  those  who 
lie  beneath  them.  A  good  father !  A  good  husband  !  Ample 
apologies  indeed  for  fifteen  years  of  persecution,  tyranny,  and 
falsehood ! 

We  charge  him  with  having  broken  his  coronation  oath; 
and  we  are  told  that  he  kept  his  marriage  vow !  We  accuse 
him  of  having  given  up  his  people  to  the  merciless  inflictions 
of  the  most  hot-headed  and  hard-hearted  of  prelates ;  and  the 
defense  is,  that  he  took  his  little  son  on  his  knee  and  kissed 
him !  We  censure  him  for  having  violated  the  articles  of  the 
Petition  of  Right,  after  having,  for  good  and  valuable  consider- 
ation, promised  to  observe  them  ;  and  we  are  informed  that  he 
was  accustomed  to  hear  prayers  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning ! 
It  is  to  such  considerations  as  these,  together  with  his  Vandyck 
dress,  his  handsome  face,  and  his  peaked  beard,  that  he  owes, 
we  verily  believe,  most  of  his  popularity  with  the  present 
generation. 

For  ourselves,  we  own  that  we  do  not  understand  the  com- 
mon phrase,  a  good  man,  but  a  bad  king.  We  can  as  easily 
conceive  a  good  man  and  an  unnatural  father,  or  a  good  man 
and  a  treacherous  friend.  We  cannot,  in  estimating  the  char- 
acter of  an  individual,  leave  out  of  our  consideration  his  con- 
duct in  the  most  important  of  all  human  relations ;  and  if  in 
that  relation  we  find  him  to  have  been  selfish,  cruel,  and 
deceitful,  we  shall  take  the  liberty  to  call  him  a  bad  man, 


280  SPECIMENS   OF   DISCOURSE 

in  spite  of  all  his  temperance  at  table,  and  all  his  regularity  at 
chapel. 

We  cannot  refrain  from  adding  a  few  words  respecting  a 
topic  on  which  the  defenders  of  Charles  are  fond  of  dwelling. 
If,  they  say,  he  governed  his  people  ill,  he  at  least  governed 
them  after  the  example  of  his  predecessors.  If  he  violated 
their  privileges,  it  was  because  those  privileges  had  not  been 
accurately  defined.  .No  act  of  oppression  has  ever  been  im- 
puted to  him  which  has  not  a  parallel  in  the  annals  of  the 
Tudors.  This  point  Hume  has  labored,  with  an  art  which  is 
as  discreditable  in  a  historical  work  as  it  would  be  admirable 
in  a  forensic  address.  The  answer  is  short,  clear,  and  decisive. 
Charles  had  assented  to  the  Petition  of  Right.  He  had  re- 
nounced the  oppressive  powers  said  to  have  been  exercised  by 
his  predecessors,  and  he  had  renounced  them  for  money.  He 
was  not  entitled  to  set  up  his  antiquated  claims  against  his 
own  recent  release. 

These  arguments  are  so  obvious  that  it  may  seem  superflu- 
ous to  dwell  upon  them.  "But  those  who  have  observed  how 
much  the  events  of  that  time  are  misrepresented  and  misun- 
derstood will  not  blame  us  for  stating  the  case  simply.  It  is  a 
case  of  which  the  simplest  statement  is  the  strongest. 

— T.  B.  MACAULAY,  John  Milton. 


WORDS   FREQUENTLY   MISSPELLED 


abbreviation 

again 

Arctic 

ablative 

aggravate 

arithmetic 

abominable 

aggregate 

artillery 

accede 

aggrieved 

assassin 

accept 

agreeable 

association 

accessible 

alias 

athletics 

accessory 

alien 

attacked 

accident 

allegiance 

attract 

accidentally 

all  right 

audacious 

accommodate 

allusion 

automobile 

accompanying 

almost 

available 

accumulate 

already 

awful 

accurate 

altogether 

accusative 

always 

bachelor 

ache 

amateur 

balance 

achieve 

analysis 

baptize 

acknowledge 

angel 

barricade 

acquaintance 

angle 

battalion 

acquiesce 

annoyance 

becoming 

acre 

anticipate 

beginning 

adaptability 

appall 

behavior 

address 

appalling 

believe 

admirable 

apparatus 

belligerent 

admiral 

apparel 

benefit 

admissible 

apparent 

bereave 

advantageous 

appearance 

berries 

advertisement 

appointed 

beseech 

affable 

appreciate 

beverage 

afraid 

approved 

bicycle 

281 

282 


WORDS  FREQUENTLY   MISSPELLED 


bier 

combatant 

decease 

blamable 

coming 

deceive 

boundary 

commendable 

declension 

buoyant 

commiserate 

declination 

bureau 

committee 

defendant 

business 

commodious 

deferred 

busy 

comparatively 

definitely 

compatible 

demeanor 

calendar 

compelling 

denim 

campaign 

competitive 

descendant 

capital  (noun) 

concede             , 

describable 

capital  (adjective) 

conceit 

desirable 

capitol  (noun  only) 

conceivable 

despair 

caricature 

conceive 

despise 

carriage 

confectionery 

despondent 

cataract 

conferred 

determination 

catastrophe 

connoisseur 

develop 

ceiling 

conscience 

development 

cemetery 

consistent 

diary 

center,  centre 

contemptible 

difference 

ceremony 

convalescence 

dilapidated 

changeable 

corollary 

diphtheria 

characteristic 

corporal 

diphthong 

chauffeur 

corps 

direct 

chieftain 

corpse 

disagreeable 

children 

councilor 

disappear 

chimney 

counselor 

disappoint 

chivalry 

counterfeit 

discernible 

Christian 

course 

disciple 

cigarette 

courtesy 

discipline 

coercion 

credible 

discriminate 

collateral 

curriculum 

disease 

colloquial 

disinfectant 

colonel 

daily 

dissatisfaction 

column 

dairy 

disseminate 

WOKDS   FREQUENTLY  MISSPELLED 


283 


dissipated 

exclaim 

gourd 

divisible 

exhilarate 

government 

dropped 

existence 

grammar  " 

druggist 

extraordinary 

granary 

dyeing 

extravagance 

grievance 

dying 

extreme 

grievous 

guard 

eccentric 

fallacious 

gymnasium 

ecstasy 

fascinate 

eighth 

fatigue 

haggard 

elapsed 

February 

hammock 

eligible 

feign 

handkerchief 

embarrass 

fevered 

harangue 

emigration 

few 

harass 

endeavor 

fiend 

hauled 

enemies 

finally 

hear 

engagement 

forbidding 

height 

engineer 

foreign 

heinous 

enmity 

forfeit 

here 

ennoble 

formally 

hereditary 

entertainment 

formerly 

honorable 

enthusiasm 

forty 

hoping 

envelop  (verb) 

fourteen 

humor 

envelope  (noun) 

fourth 

hundred 

environment 

fraudulent 

hurrying 

equal 

freight 

hygiene 

equivalent 

frieze 

hypocrisy 

evaporate 

fulfill 

exaggerate 

fulfillment 

illusion 

exasperate 

imaginary 

exceed 

gauze 

immediately 

excel 

gayety,  gaiety 

immigration 

excelling 

gayly,  gaily 

imminent 

except 

genitive 

immovable 

excitement 

gingham 

impossible 

284 


WORDS   FREQUENTLY   MISSPELLED 


improbable 

laboratory 

many 

inaugurate 

ladle 

mapped 

indelible 

languor 

maritime 

indestructible 

lead  (noun) 

marriage 

indictment 

lead  (verb) 

marvelous 

indispensable 

leaf 

massacre 

individuality 

led  (verb,  past  tense) 

mediaeval 

indivisible 

legible 

medicine 

indomitable 

legislator 

menagerie 

ineligible 

legislature 

mercenary 

ingenuous 

legitimate 

merciless 

insatiable 

leisure 

merely 

insignificant 

leopard 

meter,  metre 

insistence 

liabilities 

millennium 

instantaneous 

library 

miniature 

intelligible 

lief 

minute 

intimate 

liege 

miscellaneous 

inveigh 

lieutenant 

mischief 

inveigle 

lighting 

mischievous 

inventor 

lineament 

missile 

irascible 

liniment 

misspell 

irregular 

longevity 

mitigate 

irreproachable 

loose 

mold 

irresistible 

loosening 

monotonous 

irresponsible 

lose 

*  moreover 

irrigate 

losing 

motor 

isle 

luscious 

mottoes 

isosceles 

lying 

mountainous 

isthmus 

much 

macadamize 

muscle 

jeopardy 

magnanimous 

mystery 

judgment 

maintenance 

making 

naturally 

know 

manageable 

necessary 

knowledge 

maneuver 

necessitates 

WORDS   FREQUENTLY  MISSPELLED 


285 


necessitous 

nervous 

neuralgia 

niece 

ninety 

ninth 

nominative 

noticeable 

occasion 

occupant 

occurred 

occurring 

offered 

offering 

opportunity 

opposite 

optimism 

organization 

outrageous 

palatable 

pallor 

panic 

parallel 

parallelogram 

paralysis 

parliament 

particular 

peaceable 

peculiar 

peculiarities 

penitentiary 

people 

percepts 


perform 

.       presently 

perilous 

prevalent 

permissible 

primitive 

persecute 

principal  (noun) 

perseverance 

principal  (adjective) 

perspiration 

principle  (noun  only) 

persuade 

prison 

persuasion 

privilege 

pervade 

procedure 

phaeton 

proceed 

phenomenon 

proclaim 

Philippines 

professor 

physics 

proficient 

physiology 

prohibitory 

piece 

promissory 

pitiable 

pronunciation 

pitiful 

prosecute 

plaintiff 

psychology 

planned 

pumpkin 

plateau 

pursue 

please 

pursuit 

pleasurable 

plebeian 

quantity 

pneumonia 

quite 

poison 

quotient 

possessive 

potatoes 

really 

practicing 

-  recede 

precede 

receipt 

precipitous 

receive 

preferred 

recipe 

prejudice 

recollect 

preliminary 

recommend 

preparation 

referred 

Presbyterian 

rehearsal 

286 


WORDS   FREQUENTLY   MISSPELLED 


released 

seize, 

success 

relief 

sensible 

such 

religious 

separate 

sufficient 

remodeled 

serenade 

summary 

renunciation 

sergeant,  serjeant 

superintendent 

reprehensible 

serviceable 

supersede 

represent 

shepherd 

superstitious 

representative 

shoeing 

sure 

reprieve 

shriek 

surfeit 

resemble 

siege 

surprise 

reservoir 

significant 

surroundings 

resident- 

simile 

surveillance 

responsible 

simultaneously 

susceptible 

retribution 

sincerity 

suspicious 

revenue 

singing 

syllable 

reverie 

sleigh 

symmetry 

review 

slyly 

sympathy 

rhythm 

sneeze 

symptom 

ridiculous 

sociable 

synonym 

ruffian 

solicitous 

running 

soliloquy 

technical 

souvenir 

tenacious 

sacrilegious 

stationary  (adjective)  tenement 

salable 

stationery  (noun) 

theater,  theatre 

salary 

statistics 

their 

satire 

statue 

there 

satyr 

statute 

thief 

scarce 

steadfast 

thoroughly 

scenery 

stopping 

through 

schedule 

stratagem 

till 

scientific 

strategy 

tolerable 

scissors 

stretched 

tomatoes 

sculpture 

studying 

totally 

scythe 

subtract 

traceable 

secede 

succeed 

tragedy 

WORDS   FREQUENTLY   MISSPELLED 


287 


transcendent 

vegetable 

Wednesday 

tremendous 

vengeance 

weighed 

trudged 

vertical 

weird 

truly 

vicious 

whereas 

Tuesday 

vicissitude 

whether 

twelfth 

victuals 

which 

tying 

view 

whither 

tyrannical 

village 

wholesome 

tyranny 

villain 

wholly 

vocabulary 

wield 

umbrella 

volume 

witch 

umpire 

voluntary 

writing 

until 

wrought 

weapon 

vacillate 

weather 

yield 

INDEX 


abbreviations  in  letter-writing,  99, 104. 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  The,  273. 
agreement, 

pronoun  and  antecedent,  12. 

subject  and  verb,  19. 
A  KEMPIS,  THOMAS,  268. 
alone,  only,  22. 

alternative  lessons  and  subjects,  189. 
and  misused,  34,  201. 
applying  for  a  position,  see  LETTER- 
WRITING. 

ARCHER,  WILLIAM,  159. 
ARGUMENTATION,  163-188,  242-248. 

and  exposition,  150,  163. 

considering    arguments    on     other 
side,  166. 

courtesy  in,  168. 

defined,  163. 

defining  terms  of  proposition,  178. 

dignity  and  violence  in,  166. 

each  point  to  be  understood,  172. 

narrowing  proposition,  175. 

prejudice,  arguing  against,  168-169. 

points  of  view,  may  be  many,  176. 

proposition,  determining,  170. 

pros  and  cons,  171. 

refutation,  174. 

refutation    should  weigh  opposing 
arguments,  175. 

sticking  to  question,  167. 

summary,  181. 

use  of  notes,  in  speaking,  167-168. 

weighing  arguments,  174. 

wording  of  question,  177. 

BEVBRIDGR,  ALBERT,  277. 

BROWNING,  ROBERT,  90. 

BURKE,  EDMUND,  181. 

business  letters,  see  LETTER-WRITING. 

CARLYLE,  THOMAS,  93. 
cases    of    pronouns,    correct    use    of, 
12-14. 


character,  43-44,  49,  68-69,  72-73,  74, 

79,  80,  82-83,  84-85,  88,  89. 
characteristic  action  defined,  88. 
characteristic  incident  defined,  49. 
characteristic  situation  defined,  86. 
choice  of  words,  see  synonyms, 
clearness,  10,  32,  110,  117-118,  133. 
colon,  26-27,  198. 
comma,  198. 
CONRAD,  JOSEPH,  261. 
criticism,  59. 
CURTIS,  G.  W.,  183. 

dash,  198. 

DE  QUINCEY,  THOMAS,  196. 

DESCRIPTION,  65-95,  212-222. 

associations,  value  of,  67. 

character,  68-69,  72-73,  74,  79,  80, 
82-83,  84-S5,  88,  89. 

characteristic  action,  88. 

characteristic  situation  defined,  86. 

characterizing  person,  72,  79,  82. 

landscape,  order  of  details,  74-76. 

order  and   grouping,  in  use  of  ad- 
jective, 83. 

order  of  details,  68-69,  74-76. 

point  of  view,  single,  66. 

relative  value  of  details,  65-67. 

setting  or  background,  of  story,  73, 
78. 

summary,  90. 

synonyms,  value  of,  70,  87. 

total  impression,  65-67.' 
DICKENS,  CHARLES,  265,  266. 
dictionary,  consulting,  147. 
DODGSON,  C.  L.   (LEWIS  CARROLL), 
129. 

exclamation  point,  26,  198. 
EXERCISES, 

answering  inquiries,  124. 

choice  of  words,  47,  57-68,  71-72, 211, 
213-214. 


S.    &   II.    RHET.  —  19 


289 


290 


INDEX 


descriptive  sentences,  84,  218. 
forms  used  in  letter-writing,  103-104, 

117,  226-227. 

grammatical  forms,  13-15. 
miscellaneous  sentences  for  correc- 
tion, 249-253. 

punctuation,  28,  37,  194,  196,  204. 
relative  clauses,  77,  215-216. 
sentences   to  correct,   21-22,  46-48, 

207-208,  249-253. 
shall  and  will,  36-37. 
simile  and  metaphor,  81-82,  84,  217- 

218. 

slang,  51-52,  209. 
synonyms,  71,  87,  134,  213-214,  220, 

236. 

EXPOSITION,  132-162,  236-242. 
and  argumentation,  150,  163. 
arrangement,  133. 
collecting  data,  138-140. 
defined,  132. 
grouping  data,  138-140, 141-142, 144- 

145. 

narrowing  subject,  153-155. 
outlining  or  summarizing,  140-142, 

157-158. 

paragraphing,  139-140. 
question-form  of  subject,  value  of, 

154. 

significant  words  of  subject,  148. 
sticking  to  point,  143,  152. 
summarizing  sentence,  155,  156. 
summary,  158. 

formal  invitations,  see  LETTER-WRIT- 
ING. 

forms  used  in  letter-writing,  see  LET- 
TER-WRITING. 

grammar, 

agreement  of  pronoun  and  antece- 
dent, 12-14. 

agreement  of  subject  and  verb,  19. 

cases  of  pronouns,  12-14. 

participial  constructions,  33-34, 200- 
201. 

perfect  infinitive  for  present,  45. 

principal  parts  of  verbs,  12,  192-19,'?. 

pronoun  and  antecedent,  12-14. 

pronoun,  cases,  12-14. 


relative  pronouns,  forms,  76. 
shall  and  will,  35-37. 
subject  and  verb,  agreement,  19. 
verbs,  principal  parts,  12,  192-193. 
would  of  done,  47. 

HARDY,  THOMAS,  93. 
HARLAND,  HENRY,  263,  264. 
HAWTHORNE,  NATHANIEL,  128. 
HEADLEY,  JOEL  T.,  267. 
heartrendering,  47. 
HOAR,  GEORGE  F.,  274. 
how  to  stand  and  to  speak,  190-191. 
humor,  137,  180. 
HUXLEY,  T.  H.,  159,  270. 

incident  defined,  23. 
informal  notes,  see  LETTER-WRITING. 
interrogation  point,  26,  198. 
invitations,  see  LETTER-WRITING. 
IRVING,  WASHINGTON,  262. 

JAMES,  HENRY,  91. 

KELLER,  HELEN,  129. 
KEMPIS,  THOMAS  A,  268. 

LETTER-WRITING,  96-131,  222-235. 
abbreviations,  99, 104-105. 
acceptances    and    regrets,    114-117, 

229-232. 

accuracy  and  clearness,  110. 
addressed  letters,  examples,  225-226. 
addresses  and  salutations,  examples, 

100-101,  103,  223. 
applying  for  a  position,  121-124. 
business  letters,  117-118,  232-233. 
clearness  and  accuracy,  110. 
combination  of  forms  of  discourse, 

9fi. 

conclusion,  or  endings,  101-102,  224. 
conventions,  97. 
courtesy,  105.  125. 
curtness  in,  113. 
date,  98-100. 
defined,  96. 
formal    and    informal    invitations. 

acceptances  and  regrets,  114-117, 

229-232. 


INDEX 


291 


formal  invitations,  specimens,  114- 

115,  229-231. 

forms  used  in,  103-105,  223-233. 
headings,  99-100,  223. 
informal  letters,  105-106. 
informal  notes,  114-115,  231-232. 
invitations,  acceptances  and  regrets, 

114-117,  229-232. 
notes,  115-117,  231-232. 
outline,  109. 

promptness  in  answering,  106. 
pronouns,  managing,  in  invitations, 

etc.,  114-115. 
regrets,  114-117,  229-232. 
salutation,  100-101,  223-224. 
signature,  101-102,  224. 
summary,  127. 
titles,  used  in  addressing  persons, 

104-105. 

LEWIS  CARROLL,  129. 
LINCOLN,  ABRAHAM,  184. 

MACAULAY,  THOMAS  BABINGTON,  160, 

187,  279. 

mechanical  details,  19-20. 
metaphor,  81. 

points  for  comparison  in,  82. 
mispronounced  words,  195. 

NARRATION,  7-64,  189-212  ;  see  also 

DESCRIPTION. 
beginning,  17,  30,  53. 
character,  43,  44,  49. 
character  and  incident,  harmony  of, 

43-44. 

characteristic  incident,  43,  49. 
coming  to  point,  18. 
conclusion,  30,  38. 
conversation  in,  38. 
faults,  17-18. 
important  details,  8. 
incident,  23. 

order  of  details,  7,  11,  18,  23,  53. 
selection    of    details,  9,   12,    17-18, 

38-39,  41-42. 

setting,  or  background,  53. 
summary,  59. 
telling  a  story,  9-10. 
turning  point,  30. 


NATION,  THE,  159. 
NEWMAN,  CARDINAL,  268. 
not  only  .  .  .  but  (also),  45-46. 

only,  position  of,  21. 
oral  composition,  argumentation,  Les- 
sons  106,  108,  110,   112,  114,  116, 
118,  120,  122,  124,  126. 
description,  Lessons  32,  36,  40, 46,  50. 
exposition,  Lessons  83,  85,  87,  89,  91, 

93,95,97,101,103. 
narration,  Lessons  2,  6, 12,  20,  26. 
order  of  words,  21,  39,  45,  207. 
ORIGINAL  specimens,  61,  63,  94,  160, 
161,  185. 

paragraphing,  24-25,  139-140. 
PARKMAN,  FRANCIS,  254. 
participial  constructions,   33-34,  200. 
passive  voice,  misused,  32-33,  202-203. 
period,  26,  198. 
POE,  EDGAR  ALLAN,  92. 
principal  parts  of  verbs,  12,  192-193. 
pronouns,     agreement    with    antece- 
dent, 12. 

cases,  12. 

in  invitations,  etc.,  114-115. 

relative,  7(5. 

pronunciation,  faulty,  195. 
propriety,  see  words, 
punctuation,  19,  25-27,  197-198. 

exercises,  28,  37,  194,  196,  204. 

rules  for,  25-27,  198. 

question  mark,  26,  198. 
quotation  marks,  27,  198. 

relative  construction,  76-77,  215-216. 
revision  and  rewriting,  12, 18, 31,  32, 39. 

SCOTT,  WALTER,  204. 
semicolon,  26-27,  198. 
sentence  structure,  33-34,  76-77    199- 
203. 

diffuse,  40. 

faulty,  200-203. 

monotonous,  32. 

variety  iu,  32. 


292 


INDEX 


SHAKESPEARE,  WILLIAM,  60,  243. 
shall  and  will,  35-37. 
simile,  80-81. 

points  for  comparison  in,  82. 
slang,  50-51. 
speaking, 

how  to  speak,  9,  43. 

how  to  stand  and  to  speak,  190-191. 

notes,  used  in,  167-168. 
SPECIMENS  OF  DISCOURSE 

ARGU  M  ENT  ATION 
Are    Literary    Societies    Beneficial 

(Original},  185. 
Can  We    control    the  Colonies    by 

Force?  (Burke),  181. 
Character  of  Pope  (Macanlay),  187. 
Plan  of  a  Campaign  (Lincoln),  184, 
Popular  Liberty  (Webster),  182. 
Preservation  of  the  Union  (Lincoln), 

184. 
Public  Duty  of  the  Educated  Man, 

The  (Curtis),  183. 

DESCRIPTION 

Chester  (James),  91. 
Coleridge  (Carlyle),  93. 
Duke's  Country  (Browning),  90. 
New  Schoolmate,  The  (Original),  94. 
Old  Man  (Hardy),  93. 
Room  (Poe),  92. 
Seaport  (Tennyson),  92. 
Sunshine     and     Shadow     (Words- 
worth), 92. 
Trail  (Stoddard),  91. 
Young  Girl  (Hardy),  93. 

EXPOSITION 

American  Hospitality  (Archer),  159. 
Book  Review,  A  (The  Nation),  159. 
Explanation,  The  (Original),  161. 
Goldsmith's  Style  (Macaulay),  160. 
How  to  be  on  Time  (Original),  161. 
How  to  Study  (Original),  1(50. 
Liberal  Education,  A  (Huxley),  159. 

LETTERS 

Dodgson  to  Mrs.  Hargreaves,  129. 
Hawthorne  to  Longfellow,  128. 
Keller    to  Chairman  at    Radcliffe, 


Stevenson  to  Colvin,  131. 
Walpole  to  Strafford,  130. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Cardinal,  The  (Harland),  264. 

Charles  I.  and  his  Defenders  (Ma- 
caulay),  279. 

Death  of  Wolfe  (Parkman),  254. 

Definition  of  a  Gentleman  (New- 
man), 268. 

How  Mud  is  Formed  (Huxley),  270. 

Ichabod  Crane  (Irving),  262. 

Inland  Voyage,  An  (Stevenson) ,  258. 

Liberty  for  the  Filipinos  (Hoar),  274. 

Marengo  (Headley),  257. 

Mother  Partridge  (Thompson-Se- 
ton),  255. 

Mr.  Weller  (Dickens),  265. 

Mysterious  East,  The  (Conrad),  261. 

Paul's  Defence  of  Himself  (Acts), 
273. 

Philippines,  The,  Ours  Forever 
(JBeveridge),  277. 

Shabby  Genteel  (Dickens),  266. 

Sleeping-bag,  The  (Stevenson),  266. 

View  from  a  Garden  (Harland),  263. 

Withstand  Beginnings  (Thomas  a 
Kempis) ,  268. 

NARRATION 

Cassius  and  Caesar  (Shakespeare)  ,60. 

Secret,  The  (Original),  63. 

Stupid  Peasant,  The  (Paraphrased 
from  the  French),  61. 

Talisman,  The  (Original),  61. 
specimen  letter  forms, 

business  letters,  232-'j:«. 

formal  invitations,  22iKi31. 

informal  notes,  231-232. 
spelling,  19-20. 

words    frequently    misspelled,    195, 

281-287. 
STEVENSON,  ROBERT  Louis,  131,  258, 

266. 

STODDARD,  C.  W.,  91. 
summary,  Argumentation,  181. 

Description,  90. 

Exposition,  158. 

Letter-writing,  127. 

Narration,  59, 


INDEX 


293 


synonyms,  20,  70. 

exercises  in,  71, 87, 134,  213-214,  220, 
236. 

TENNYSON,  ALFRED,  92. 
THOMAS  A  KEMPIS,  268. 
THOMPSON-SETON,  ERNEST,  255. 
titles,  use  of,  in  addressing  persons, 

see  LETTER-WRITING. 
verb,   passive    voice    misused,  32-33, 

202-203. 

principal  parts,  12,  192-193. 
vocabulary,  see  also  words  and  syno- 
nyms. 

impoverished  by  slang,  50-51. 
writing  and  speaking,  31,  72. 


WALPOLE,  HORACE,  130. 
WEBSTER,  DANIEL,  182. 
will,  see  shall  and  will. 
words,  20,  47,  147. 

affect  and  effect,  47. 

alone,  22. 

and,  34,  201. 

choice  of  words,  see  synonyms. 

heartrendering,  47. 

only,  21. 

order  of,  21,  39,  45,  207. 

propriety,  56-58,  211. 

words  frequently  misspelled  (list), 

195,  281-287. 

WORDSWORTH,  WILLIAM,  92. 
writing,  neat  and  legible,  20, 110, 122. 


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Burke' s  Speech  on  Conciliation  with  America.    (Gate- 
way)     (MacDonald) • .        .35 

The  same.      (Eclectic) 20 

Or  Washington's   Farewell  Address,  and  Webster's 

First  Bunker  Hill  Oration.     (Eclectic)     .     .        .20 
Macaulay's  Life  of  Johnson.      (Gateway)      (Clark),        .35 

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ESSENTIALS    IN    ENGLISH 
HISTORY 

From  the  Earliest  Records  to  the  Present  Day.  By  ALBERT 
PERRY  WALKER,  A.M.,  Master  in  History,  Eng- 
lish High  School,  Boston.  In  consultation  with  ALBERT 
BUSHNELL  HART,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  History, 
Harvard  University 

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secondary  schools,  following  out  the  recommendation 
of  the  Committee  of  Seven,  and  meeting  the  requirements  of 
the  College  Entrance  Examination  Board,  and  of  the  New 
York  State  Education  Department.  It  contains  the  same 
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and  illustrations  are  worthy  of  special  mention. 
*)[  The  book  is  a  model  of  good  historical  exposition,  un- 
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ment, and  accurate  in  statement.  The  essential  facts  in  the 
development  of  the  British  Empire  are  vividly  described,  and 
the  relation  of  cause  and  effect  is  clearly  brought  out. 
^[  The  treatment  begins  with  a  brief  survey  of  the  whole 
course  of  English  history,  deducing  therefrom  three  general 
movements:  (i)  the  fusing  of  several  races  into  the  Eng- 
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(3)  the  extreme  development  of  two  great  fields  of  industry, 
commerce  and  manufacture.  The  narrative  follows  the 
chronological  order,  and  is  full  of  matter  which  is  as  interest- 
ing as  it  is  significant,  ending  with  a  masterly  summary  of 
England's  contribution  to  civilization. 


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ESSENTIALS    IN    AMERICAN 
HISTORY 

From  the  Discovery  to  the  Present  Day.  By  ALBERT 
BUSHNELL  HART,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  History, 
Harvard  University 

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of  Seven,  and  consequently  is  exceptionally  qualified  to 
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are  fully  met  by  the  Essentials  in  History  Series. 
^[  This  volume  reflects  in  an  impressive  manner  the  writer's 
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and  effect  of  each  noteworthy  occurrence,  and  his  thorough 
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which  make  the  work  unusually  well  suited  to  students, 
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tion of  all  essential  things  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  country, 
and  to  supplement  this  by  good  illustrations  and  maps. 
Political  geography,  being  the  background  of  all  historical 
knowledge,  is  made  a  special  topic,  while  the  development  of 
government,  foreign  relations,  the  diplomatic  adjustment  of 
controversies,  and  social  and  economic  conditions  have  been 
duly  emphasized. 

•[j  All  sections  of  the  Union,  North,  East,  South,  West,  and 
Far  West,  have  received  fair  treatment.  Much  attention  is 
paid  to  the  causes  and  results  of  our  various  wars,  but  only  the 
most  significant  battles  and  campaigns  have  been  described. 
The  book  aims  to  make  distinct  the  character  and  public 
services  of  some  great  Americans,  brief  accounts  of  whose  lives 
are  given  in  special  sections  of  the  text.  Towards  the  end  a 
chapter  sums  up  the  services  of  America  to  mankind. 


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STAMPED  BELOW 


1 1 

JfV  »  ov)  lw  * 

JAN  27  1916 
FEB  28  jg,6 

NOV  8 

NOV  22  1916 
FEB  271918 

MR  25  1913 
SEP   5  1919 


YB  02 1 47 


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